


The Marauder Story

by marauders_4_life



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bullying, Catholic Character, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Dyslexia, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Jewish Character, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Miscarriage, Muslim Character, Period-Typical Homophobia, Racism, Scars, Self-Esteem Issues, allergic reactions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-03-17 15:25:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 61,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18967987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marauders_4_life/pseuds/marauders_4_life
Summary: They called themselves the Marauders.Now you are thinking, but everyone knows of the Marauders! James Potter, the father of the boy who lived. Sirius Black the boy who lived's godfather. Remus Lupin the werewolf best friend. And Peter Pettigrew the no good scum bag Marauder.There is so much to know about them, especially their schooldays they spent running around on full moons and playing pranks.They are the ones you need to know about.And this is their story.





	1. Chapter 1

Everyone has heard about the people who change the world. The people who are so important that they will be included in those Muggle textbooks. Like that guy named George Washington or that French guy. What's his name? Oh, yeah Napoleon Bonaparte, the idiot who attempted to invade Russia in the winter.

 

Anyway, we all have heard of the people who are important to history, the ones who have left a huge impact on history. They are written in the books and talked about generations later. 

 

Except for everyday people.

 

The people who don't have a direct impact on history. The people on the sidelines, the ones have helped the important people or the people who we never thought would have a big impact on history but they do. These people are deemed to be annoying, insignificant or unsuccessful. Muggles have a bunch of people who are like this, we just don't know them because people don't talk about them.

 

Muggles, aren't the only ones who have these people. The Wizarding World has them too, only similar to Muggles we don't know them. We only hear about the very important people. The ones who have directly influenced us, not their friends, families or coaches who helped them when life got hard. Do you want to know who these people are? While it's quite easy to explain.

 

They called themselves the Marauders.

 

Now you are thinking, but everyone knows of the Marauders! At least now we do after Harry Potter explained it to you. James Potter, the father of the boy who lived. Sirius Black the boy who lived's godfather. Remus Lupin the werewolf best friend. And Peter Pettigrew the no good scum bag Marauder.

 

All this is true but it is only the gist of it, only the tip of the iceberg as Muggles might say. There is so much to know about them, especially their schooldays they spent running around on full moons and playing pranks.

 

But what you need to know is, that they had the connection that only is found once a generation. The type of connection that is so powerful it can bring together people who are incredibly different from each other. People who have such diverse backgrounds, yet they get along so well. 

 

The group of students that affects both the people who were at Hogwarts with them but the future students. The students who will learn from their friendship and socialize with people they otherwise avoid. 

 

They are the people who should be written about in the history textbooks. They are the ones who need their names on plaques. They are the ones you need to know about.

 

The following story, which isn't a story at all, is what you need to read about; not those dumb goblin revolts or about what Harry Potter had for breakfast.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius gets his letter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Child Abuse (first section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions child abuse to who ever asks.

Sirius looked down at his feet, he didn’t want to see his parents face. He could only imagine what the scene before him would look like. Mother's red cheeks and Father's brows crinkled in anger his body frozen in place lurching to strike like a snake with its prey. And most importantly the glass on the floor, the glass that once belonged pieced together as a vase. An heirloom of the Black family, passed down from father to son.

The vase that Sirius somehow broke.

“Fa-”

“No, Sirius,” His father managed to say. He was no longer leaning to slap him, which might have been  an improvement to others, but, Sirius knew his father. “You will not say anything! We will continue your punishment later, as of now you will clean up this mess you made. You might have magic, your mother and I never expected anything less of course, but it doesn’t excuse you to make a mess.”

Sirius looked down at the broken vase on the floor and back up to his parents.

“Yes, father. He said quietly, but not mumbling, his parents hated when he mumbled. His father waved his wand to take down the silencing spells, opened the door and marched out of it. Mother stood there staring at him for a moment then a smirk appeared on her crooked lips.

She walked over to the glass tipped the rest of the vase on the ground and stomped on it, mashing some of the pieces into a fine powder. Then as she walked to the doorway, pushed Sirius into the pile, making his hands land in the remaining glass.

Sirius felt the tears grew in his eyes, what six-year-old wouldn’t cry when their hands got cut by glass. He knew he couldn’t, it would only make his father angry again. That couldn’t happen again today, Sirius already had another punishment that he was going to receive later tonight.

Slowly he got to his knees and started to take the splinters out of his palm, he had to hurry so he wasn’t late to his lessons.

 

* * *

 

“Bella please, tell me all about it, please!” Sirius whined all he wanted was for Bella to tell him about Hogwarts. She knew everything about it, and every time he asked she would never tell him. She would always say “It’s all about the surprises Sirius, you know that”, then go talk to Cissa. At least that’s what she said when he asked in the past. But now that Bella was in her seventh year and Sirius knew that she has changed.

“Fine, Sirius. I’m only doing this so that you stop asking. You should be glad that I am finally telling you, with the number of Mudbloods there I should have told you before. After all, you need to be prepared.”

“Oh, thank you, Bella. What is it like? Who are your teachers? What about the other houses? Tell me everything Bella, like you said I have to be ready I only have two more years. Too bad you will be gone then, at least I’ll have Cissa and Meda, and Reg when he turns eleven.”

“Hogwarts isn’t as good as others say it is, you have to interact with Mudbloods and you can’t even curse them. It’s like the teachers expect you to believe that they are equal to us, it’s insane. All my teachers are Mudblood lovers as well, even Slughorn, he is the Slytherin head. Why do you want to know about other houses? You don’t need to because you are going to be in Slytherin, just like me and your family.” Sirius started to tune her out, he never believed that she would even say yes to telling him about Hogwarts. As much as he wanted to listen to her, what she said made him upset.

She expected him to feel like a Slytherin when in reality, he doesn’t think he is. He isn’t any of the houses, to be honest. He isn’t cunning, after all, he gets caught whenever he does something. Like a few months ago Kreacher caught him sneaking food when he was being punished. He isn’t smart either, his parents have said that enough, and he isn’t brave either. If he was he would say these things to Bella. But he can’t because she will tell his parents then he will get into trouble again. He doesn’t even think about Hufflepuff, after all, how can he get into Hufflepuff, he is a Black.

Bella finally stopped talking after what must have thirty minutes.

“Your right Bella, I don’t need to know this. I’m going to have you guys when I am sorted into Slytherin.” See, he isn’t brave at all or else he would have said something.

 

* * *

 

A loud pop vibrated through the quite room, Sirius looked up from where he was laying on his bed.

“What do you want Kreacher? I’m not in the mood for you right now.” Today wasn’t a very good day even though it was supposed to be. It was November third and his eleventh birthday. It is the day that he is going to get his Hogwarts letter, to other wizards this is exciting. He doesn't remember Bella’s or Meda’s eleventh birthday parties because he was too young. Although he does remember Cissa’s and she was so excited. But right now all he wants to do is go back to sleep. It isn’t that he doesn’t want to be a wizard or that he doesn’t want to go to Hogwarts, he does more than anything. It’s something that is different, something that he has been hiding for a while, a feeling that he isn’t a Slytherin.

“Mistress wanted Kreacher to tell the young master that he is needed in the dining room.” From what Sirius could see of the house elf Kreacher shot him a dirty look and disapparated. Probably back to the kitchen to finish cooking.

Slowly he climbed out of his warm bed and put on the clothes that Kreacher left out on the foot on his bed. Opening the door he sneaked over the landing and heard loud voices belonging to his cousins.

He crept down to the stairs and walked into the dining room and saw his cousins like he thought he would.

“Sirius, nice of you to finally join us.” His mother said stiffly, “Come, eat sit down your letter will be here soon.” She nodded to the empty seat between Reg and Meda.

He sat down and started to fill his plate with food. Sirius tried to block out his parent's voice’s talking about something about the ministry. As much as he hated to say it, Kreacher really knew how to cook, the food was amazing. His parent’s conversation started to die out when there was the sound of an owl scratching on the glass.

“Go get your letter, Sirius.” He could hear his father say, getting up he saw a brown owl. So different than the owls that his family uses, but in Sirius’ opinion they were more pretty. The window creaked open when he pushed it open, he tentatively reached out and took the letter from the owl's claws. The owl flew off of the window sill and he was left staring at the London skyline.

“Come on Sirius, hurry up!” Bella said and he started to creep back to his chair, with his eyes on the front of the envelope.

_Mr. S. Black_

_The second bedroom on the fourth floor_

_12 Grimmauld Place_

_Chelsea_

_London_

His heart started to beat rapidly. He couldn’t believe that this was happening, he was going to Hogwarts and he wasn’t getting into Slytherin. He wasn’t sure if his heart could beat any faster than it was at this point.

“Go on Sirius, what is taking you so long.”

He turned the envelope over stuck his finger under the flap, pulling the red wax off. Reaching he grabbed the yellow parchment, took it out. Unfolding the paper, he would hear his blood pumping now.

“Dear M-” He stopped and waited for a second, he didn’t want to have his voice breaking. Skipping over the text about Dumbledore, as he knew how much his parents didn’t like him, he continued. “Dear Mr. Black, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September first. We await your owl by no later than July thirty-first. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress.”

He didn’t hear his parents comments, he was to busy listening to his heart again. A feeling of dread settled in his stomach making him wish he didn’t eat so much. It was finally happening in September. In ten months he was going to be on Kings Cross Platform riding the train to his doom. To a school full of Mudbloods, biased teachers and he certainly wasn't going to be a Slytherin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter gets his letter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Bullying (second section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

The door slammed behind his dad making the picture frames on the wall next to the doorway shake. Peter looked up at his mum and saw tears falling down her face.

“Mum, where is dad going? I didn’t do anything wrong right?” He walked up to his mum and grabbed her hand, trying to give her the comfort that she always did when he was upset.

“No, of course not. You didn’t do any wrong.” She led them over to the couch and fell on top of it, pulling her son into her side hugging him tightly. They both looked over at the scene in front of them, remembering what just happened.

_Peter was so happy, it was December twentieth; it was so close to Christmas and this year it was going to be amazing. His mother’s family was coming to stay which was rare because they lived in Spain, so he was going to see his cousins. Then his father’s family was coming to his house as well. It was going to be a family reunion, something that almost never happened. It was going to be even better because Santa was coming soon too._

_But all of that would be later. As Peter's parents would be picking up his cousins at the airport tomorrow, and then his grandparents were driving up the next day. Right now he was occupied with the amazing Christmas tree. It wasn’t that his family never had Christmas trees before, it was a tradition that they performed every year. What was so cool about this year's tree was the birds._

_They were Styrofoam, at least that what his mum said they were made out of, but he didn’t agree with that because they seemed so lifelike. With soft white feathers making them look like they were little angels - they even had small golden halos on their tiny heads. It was like they the angels that Peter learned about in church. The only thing that was wrong was that the birds didn't fly._

_So he took one down from the tree and started to imagine that the bird was really flying, he zoomed around the living room with the bird in his hand. So caught up in his imagination he didn’t see the role of wrapping paper that was on the ground and he fell. He looked around on the ground he didn’t see the bird. Looking up he saw that it was flying like he wanted it to, it was really the best Christmas ever, he had to share this with his dad._

_“Dad, daddy come here, you have to look at this!” He called up the stairs to where his dad was working._

_“Okay, Peter. Give me a minute.” He heard the faint sound of his dad standing up and the sounds of his steps getting louder. “Where are you?”_

_“I’m in the living room.” In the kitchen he heard his mum sigh, he remembered that he wasn’t supposed to be playing in the living room. His mother decorated the room with fragile glass figurines that his mother loved. He looked up to see his dad and his mum in the doorway of the room, their mouths open a jar. “Look the birds are flying, just like real ones!”  His fathers face started to turn purple and he turned to look at his wife._

_“How dare you, this is all your fault!” His father roared, Peter wanted to put his hands over his ears and run upstairs, but he was so scared. He never saw his father this mad. “You and your stupid magic, you bitch, you turned our son into some devil worshiper!”_

_“This isn’t my fault, and Peter isn’t a devil worshiper, he's six. His magic isn’t bad. You always accepted me and my magic. Why would our son be any different?” His mum responded calmly she wasn't even yelling, Peter didn’t know how she could be so calm._

_“Yeah, but I never thought he would become some weirdo too, like his no good mother.” He turned to the door and grabbed his jacket, “Have fun raising him by yourself.” Peter saw his father slam the door behind him making the picture frames on the wall shake._

The clock chiming on the wall pulled Peter out from his thoughts. He glanced at his mum again to see the tears still sliding down her face.

“Let's go, Peter, it’s dinner time then we can watch a movie before bed.”

 

* * *

 

“Come on piggy. Can’t you reach any higher?” Jonah teases.

Jonah Ridley has been bullying since the start of the school year.  Peter hated Jonah almost as much as he hated his father. He didn’t like how Peter didn’t have a father, and Peter couldn’t tell him why his dad left or his mum would get into trouble. He has recently started to call Peter piggy after Mrs. Wallace, their Year four teacher, had them watch The Lord of The Flies a few weeks ago.

“Give it back, Jonah, or I’ll tell Mrs. Wallace.”

“Oh, so our big baby Peter is a tattletale. What is Mrs. Wallace going to do?”

“She’ll make you give Lambie.” Lambie was his stuffed sheep, one of the only things that he still has that was given to him by his father. Lambie goes everywhere with Peter even to school. Right now, Lambie was being held above his head by Jonah.

“I guess she will, but not if I put him back into your house first, Piggy.” For a second Peter didn’t know what Jonah was going to do, then Jonah lowered his arm and threw the sheep into a mud pile. Tears started to run down his cheeks as he grabbed Lambie from the ground and ran to Mrs. Wallace’s room.

 

* * *

 

“Peter, Peter.” He heard someone saying, and shaking his shoulder. “It’s time to get up, it’s your birthday.”

His groggy brain switched to the topic of his birthday. Sitting up he saw his mum in a pretty blue plaid dress and a matching birthday cone hat on her head. A laugh came through his mouth as his mum reached behind her to grab another hat and put it on his head. She pulled him out of his bed and together they walked down to the living room.

The living room was decorated with blue balloons, ribbons, and banners’. His cousins were in the living room. As soon as he saw them he ran towards them passing all his gifts and the blue birthday cake sitting on the coffee table, and launched himself at his cousins.  Pulling them all into a hug.

“Happy birthday Mi Amor,” his grandmother said, “you are getting so big, soon you will be off to Hogwarts.”

“I know Mama, my little baby is growing up. Peter help me cut the cake so we can eat it.” His mum called over to him from the coffee table. It was a tradition that he grew up with, on birthdays Peter and his mum would always have cake for breakfast.

As his family sung happy birthday Peter blew out the eleven cakes. He wished that he would make friends at Hogwarts and took the sharp knife and made cuts into the cake. He gave plates of cake to the others. Once they were done eating, Emmet, one of his magical cousin, started to levitate over his presents from the corner of the room. For a moment he was sad because his cousins didn’t go to Hogwarts. Only two of his cousins has magic and only one of them was still in school and he was going to Beauxbatons. That sadness went away when he started to open his gifts, most of it was Euros that he could spend them in Diagon Ally.

As if the owl had the best timing there was a tapping on the window, his mum got up to get the letter. She never let him touch the owls that came to the house because she was worried that Peter would get hurt. She handed the letter over to Peter and he looked at the outside of the envelope saw the green ink on the front. His mum looked at him sadly, knowing that he couldn’t read it with his dyslexia. The doctors had diagnosed him a few years ago and explained how it was different for everyone. Peter had trouble reading. It would take a while but he could read after learning new techniques, but he could write fine. Or at least as well as eleven-year-old boys. He handed it back to her and she started to read.

“Mr. P. Pettigrew. The bedroom in the attic, 9756 Wintergreen Street, Alloway, Ayr.” His mum stopped reading to take the letter out of the envelope. “Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, headmaster: Albus Dumbledore. Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Cheif Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederacy of Wizards. Dear Mr. Pettigrew, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on the first of September. We await your owl by no later than the thirty-first of July. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress.”

She paused once more to take out the supply list and then started to read again. “First-year students will require: Three sets of plain black robes, one plain pointed black hat for holidays, one pair of protective gloves, and one black winter cloak with silver fastenings. Please note that all pupil’s clothes should carry name tags. All students should have a copy of the following: The Standard Book of Spells Grade One by Miranda Goshawk, A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot, Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffing, A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore, Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble. One wand, one pewter size two cauldron, one set of glass vials, one telescope, one set brass scales, students may also bring an owl, cat or a toad.”

“Oh, mum this is the best birthday ever!” Peter exclaimed leaning over to hug his mum a huge smile on his face if only his father was here.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus gets his letter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Bullying (Second section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

“Do we really have to move?” He asked his father. Today was the day that his family was moving, and it was all his fault. If he was normal than they wouldn’t have to move, he knew that his father was thinking the same thing as well.

“Yes! Now stop asking Remus we already talked about this. Now go get your stuff and bring it into the moving van or else we will leave it here.” The five-year-old looked up at his mum remember that a year ago when his father still liked him, but it wasn’t a time to get sad. So he turned around and walked up the stairs his joints protesting, it was getting close to the full moon. Opening the door he looked around the empty room. Everything was away in the boxes in the corner of the room. Walking up to the window he looked out and saw the little Welsh village that he grew up it, he had a birds-eye view from the hill his house was on. At the end of the main street, he could see the school the students playing outside looking like ants.

A knocking on the door made him turn around to see his mum standing there. “Come on Remus, I’ll help you carry them down.” She picked up one of the largest boxes labeled with his messy handwriting in black crayon. He also picked up a box walking down with her to the van and back up again, repeating the process too many times.

Finally, when his whole life was inside the vehicle, he was finished. Remus wondered why they were driving to their new house when his father could take them with his magic. Quickly abandoning that stream of thinking, he heard his father call him to get into the van. Running outside he looked around one more time, remember the good times he had here and pushed away from the more recent bad ones. He slid into the front of the van, sitting between the his mother and his father. His mum was driving because only she knew how to. His father never needed to learn to drive because he was always using his magic to go places.

For the first 30 minutes, he watched the of watching land around them flash by. Soon he got bored and took out a book from his backpack, with a surge of pride. His mum said that he was super smart to be reading books, while his dad called him a girl for not playing sports like the other boys. He's so good at reading books because it took place in bed where he was stuck each month.

Losing himself in the world of his book the drive seemed to only take minutes. The next thing Remus knew was the car stopping and his father ordering him to move out of the way. Stuffing his book into his bag, he got out of the car and looked at the house they were parked in front of.

The building was two stories, he knew that there must be a basement as well. It looked quite small with off-white siding, and green bushes lining the front. If he was looking from an outsiders eye, he could imagine a happy family living in the house. Two parents who were in love with two little kids whom the parents loved very much.

His mum led him into the house, up the stairs to a small bedroom. With built-in shelves and closets, there was also an old fireplace on one wall. He liked the room, finally feeling like he could be happy in the new house. When he looked outside of the window his spirits fell, the only thing he could see was woods. There wasn’t a house in sight for kilometers. Once again he felt the loneliness that was his new life, at least he would be able to go to school and met other kids.

His mum put her hands on his shoulders and turned him around.

“Remus, your father and I wanted to wait to tell you something.” His mum's face was full of sadness. “Your father wanted me to home school because you are unwell so often. Do you know what that means?”

He shook his head even though he knew what it meant. It means that he would never have friends again.

 

* * *

 

“Yo shorty! Where you going?” Remus heard the calls of the boys from behind him. He tried to walk faster but he couldn’t, the last full moon was only a few days and he was still very sore. He just kept walking and trying to ignore the calls of the schoolboys behind him. On days like these, he was happy that he was homeschooled because it kept him away from these annoying boys.

Every two weeks his mum sent him to the village. Making him walk for about an hour down the dirt path through the woods in his second-hand coat to get cheap food. Then return through the woods with the plastic handles of the shopping bags digging into his palms.   

"Dude are you deaf too!” A teen whose name he didn’t know yanked on his shoulder twisting him around, making him want to cry out in pain. The kid pushed him down into the muddy ground, the snow had just started to melt a few days ago. He dropped the plastic bags on the ground, hoping that nothing broke; Remus’ mother didn’t have any more money at home.

“Get off of me.” He mumbled, trying not to get mad at them, the wolf hadn’t buried deep enough yet.

“Oh, is little psycho mad? Guess what I heard last week? Screaming, so loud I could hear it from my house, woke me up too. Snuck out so I could see what was making such a horrible noise. Turns out it was coming from the woods, only you and your weird family live out there. So what were they doing to your weird ass huh, were the-” Remus didn’t know what happened. The boy’s voice seemed to turn itself off, his mouth was still moving but no sound was coming out. Another boy in the group opened his mouth and his voice was silence as well.

As quickly as he could, he lifted himself off the group and grabbed the bags off the ground. He started to run down the street, making mud and slush flew up onto his pants and pain shot through his knees. He kept sprinting until he got to the dirt path leading to his house, stopping he could feel his lungs on fire.

After trudging up the hill to his house, he opened the door and toed off his holey sneakers.  Putting the food away in the kitchen counter Remus thought of what he would say to his mum. He went to the sitting room to find her reading on the sofa.

“Mum, I need to tell you something.” His mum marked the page and put down the book placing it on the coffee table, turning and patting the sofa. He sat down next to her, even though she wasn’t a witch he wanted to tell her. “Um, in town these boys started to push me down and stuff like they have done before, and I think I did magic.” It was amazing that his mum even heard him, his voice was so low.

It wasn’t even a question of rather he did magic or not. Unless there was some force that caused all of the boys to lose their voice, of course, he did magic. He was never a stranger to magic, his father used it many times around Remus and what he did was clearly that.

“Oh, Remus. That’s amazing.”  It was obvious that his mum was lying because how could it be amazing. He was never going to go to Hogwarts. The headmaster would never allow a werewolf to go, so what was the point of having magic.

 

* * *

 

Remus thought that if anyone saw him right now then he would seem crazy. He has been staring at the clock on his wall for quite a long time, the book in his hand was forgotten.

11:55… 11:56… 11:57… 11:58 … 11:59… 12:00

He was officially eleven years old. It wasn’t that he wanted to stay up until midnight, but he couldn’t help it. Around the full moon, he was so tired but he was in so much pain that it was a miracle if he got even an hour of sleep. He picked up his book and continued to read, he had nothing to do for his birthday and couldn’t sleep. Why not stay up all night?

Hours later and fifteen pages left, he heard a knock on his door.

“Come in!” He called, the best thing about his mum was that she respected his privacy. She would never come into his room without a knock, while his father would barge right in. Whenever Remus complained about the lack of privacy he father always said the same thing, 'Monsters don’t need privacy’. His mum opened the door and peeked her head in.

“Remus, you have a visitor downstairs.” Her voice shook, making him worry.

“Is everything okay, mum?”

“Yeah, just come down please, and change into your Shabbat clothes.” This comment made him more worried. Who in the world would make his mum nervous and who was so important that he needed to wear fancier clothes. His mind drew a blank. Even if his family came over, which they never did, he wouldn’t have to wear such formal clothes.

When his mum closed his door, he dragged his aching body out of bed and to the closet, putting away his book on the way. Digging his way to the back of the closet. He found the clothes that he wore when they went to the synagogue. They didn’t go often due to his father not wanting to go and how there wasn’t one close to them. The closest synagogue was over an hour away by car.

He opened the door and walked down to the living room. Once he saw the person sat on the sofa a chipped teacup in his hands he left like he would pass out.

Albus Dumbledore. Albus bloody Dumbledore. Dumbledore was sitting on their old couch, drinking watered down tea out of a chipped teacup.

He had met the headmaster once at the ministry when his father took him to a Christmas party. But he didn’t know why Dumbledore was sitting in his house. A hopeful of his mind said that headmaster was going to take him away to Hogwarts, but a more realistic part told him that it could never happen.

“Oh Remus, it is so nice to see you again!” The headmaster exclaimed. “Last time I saw you, you were this tall” he put his hand out about one meter high, which was pretty accurate. “Come, sit down, we can talk.”

Remus walked on unsteady legs and almost fell onto the sofa, accepting the cup of tea his mum handed him. He hoped that there was some type of potion in it. Even without magic, his mum has become amazing at brewing Pepperup.

“Headmaster, with all due respect why are you here?” His father asked.

“While I wanted to give Remus this of course.” He reached into his robes that are a deep blue and pulled out a parchment envelope, handing it over to Remus. In green ink it said:

_Mr. R. Lupin_

_The Bedroom next to the Stairs_

_35  Five Lakes Lane_

_Friog_

_Gwynedd_

“Dumbledore, he can’t go to Hogwarts! He is a monster for Merlin’s sake.” He could tell by this father’s voice that he was starting to get mad.

“Mr. Lupin, I thought that you were better than this. To believe such horrible ideas about your own son. I can assure you that we are accepting Remus into Hogwarts.”

“Mr. Dumbledore, sir, I don’t know much about magical schools like Hogwarts. But how can he go when he is a werewolf?” His mother asked speaking the last word quietly like there was someone from the ministry outside the door listening.  

“Thank you for asking Mrs. Lupin. About two years we planted a tree, called the Whomping Willow. We told students and staff that it would be studied for herbology classes, which it is. The branches can only stop moving when a section of the trunk is poked. At this point, a door opens up and leads to an abandoned building where Remus can safely transform. Our matron can help him recover, in the hospital wing.”

His parents both had similar star-struck faces. Remus didn’t know what they were thinking, but he felt like he was going to die.

“We can talk closer to the beginning of the term, but Mr. Lupin. You have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” The headmaster started to get up put the cup on the old coffee table and walked himself over to the fireplace. Taking a small bag out and using his own floo power, called out ‘Diagon Alley’. A puff of green smoke swallowed him whole.

The Lupins were quite for a while before his father stood up. “While Remus, try to not kill anyone in your dorm, we wouldn’t want your little secret to come out, now would we.” He walked out and out the door, probably to go to a pub, and his mum enveloped him in a hug.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you find any typos please inform me, I only want to improve my writing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James gets his letter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Miscarriage (first section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

James stood outside of his parent's room with his ear pressed against the door, struggling to hear what was going on inside the room. He could barely hear the squeaky voices of house elves talking and his dad’s deep sobs. The healer that his dad called in said something that Jame’s four-year-old ears couldn’t make out. A few seconds afterward he felt the door opening and he was on the ground. He looked up and saw the healer looking down at him, quickly getting to his feet he sprinted over to his dad. Behind him, he heard the door closing with a click.

“Hey, Jamie. How long have you been there?” James felt a rush of embarrassment to be caught eavesdropping on his father's conversation.

“‘M sorry daddy, I didn’t mean to!”

“Shh. You have to be quiet your mummy is still sick.” He looked down at his mum laying on the bed, her skin looking too pale against the dark sheets.

“Daddy, what’s wrong with mummy?” His voice was now shaking, he didn’t want his mummy to he hurt. She was fine yesterday, so why was she so sick now?

“James, mummy is just fine. The Healer O’Conner says she’ll be better by next week. Until then she needs to rest. Do you see how tired she looks?” His dad stops talking until James reluctantly nods his head. “When you’re sick you don’t like it to be loud either, so we need to leave so that she can sleep.”

His dad nudged him to move off his lap when his dad stands, he takes Jame’s hand and calls out for a house elf.

“Binney!” After a loud pop, a house elf is standing in front of them. “Can you go make some breakfast for James?”

“Yes, sir. I will be going to make master James’ food.” She looks determined as another pop sounds and she is no longer there.

“Come, let's go help you change into some clothes, then we can go eat breakfast.”

James hopped over to the door throwing it open and runs down the hall of the Potter mansion to get to his room. This is how it was like for five grueling days. Every morning James would visit his mum in her room, then go eat with his dad. Go play around the house, eat lunch, have a study session, then at night eat dinner in the dining room. After dinner, James and his dad would go visit his mum until it was time for bed.  Every day James’ mum would be feeling better, her skin returning to its natural brown color. She would be able to stay awake longer than before.

“Mummy,” James started to ask a few days later when he was visiting her at night, “Why were you so sick?”

“While Jamie, you know how we told you that you were going to be a big brother.” When James nodded, showing that he remembered she continued. “That baby lived in my tummy, but the baby got really sick and passed on.”

“Oh, so I'm not going to be a big brother?” James was kind of upset, why would his parents tell him something that wasn't true. He was looking forward to being a big brother.

“No. I'm sorry James.” His father cut in, putting his hand on James' knee.

“But I can be a big brother when I'm older right?”

“Oh, baby I'm so sorry. I'm getting too old for you to have a sibling. I can't have a baby myself, but that doesn't mean you can't be a brother.” James looked at his mum confusion written all over his face. “When you find friends that you love with all your heart. That you would never give up for anything. That's when you become a brother. Being related doesn't matter, all that matters is the connection.”

 

* * *

 

“Fleamont! Can't you hear yourself? You can't seriously believe what you are saying!” James didn't even need to put his ear to the door to hear his parent's conversation. His parent’s voices could be heard down the hallway, maybe even in the kitchen which was two floors down.

“Yeah I do Mia, and don't blame me. You have said things like this many times in the past!” He agree with his dad when he said this, it wasn't the first fight that his parents had about the topic.

A sob sounds through the room, it was always the same events that happened when his parents fought. They would go back and forth yelling. Sometimes they put up silencing spells and sometimes they didn't. Their frustrations would rise until one of them would start to cry, then the other one will cry. When they were done crying, the tensions would be lower and they would make their final decisions. To James that seemed like a healthy way to fight.

“Oh Mia, I only want him to get his letter tomorrow. It isn't a bad thing, it's just that there is so much hatred towards people like him.”

“I know Mont.”

James backed away from the door to see their house elf Binney behind him. He grabbed Binney's arm and dragged him, he put his finger over his mouth signaling to Binney to be quiet. He didn't want to be caught snooping. Opening the door he shuffled both of them inside of his room. Closing the door in such a hurry that it sounded like he slammed it.

“Binney, I need you to not tell mum and dad that I was eavesdropping.”

“But master, why were you listening to older master’s conversation.”

“They were talking about me, I should be able to listen.”

“I is thinking that masters should be able to talk about their son, without young master listening in,” Binney said, the Potters always allowed for their house elves to speak their mind.

“I guess, but they never told me that I'm a squib. I know they think I am though, anyone in a hundred meters probably knew.”

“But master, they don't know. They wouldn't know until tomorrow, if you get the letter then master has magic. If you don't get a letter than young master is a squib.” James was glad that Binney was always honest, he didn't have many friends but he always had Binney.

“Thank you, Binney.” A loud crack when through the room and James was alone with his thoughts. He was weirdly excited for tomorrow, even if he was a squib he knew his parents would still love him.

 

* * *

 

The first thing that James heard was his door slamming against his wall and then he saw the lights flick on. He rolled onto this stomach to try to get away from the light.

“James, you need to get up!” His mum said, he felt his dad pull him up into a sitting position.

“Um… what time is it?”

“It's around eleven o'clock in the morning, but that doesn't matter.” His mum shoved a piece of parchment into his hands, “look at what came this morning.”

He placed down and his heart stopped, it was his Hogwarts letter.

“Mum… dad. I'm a wizard.”

“Yeah, baby you are.” His parents pulled him into a hug. “Yeah, you are”

He looked down at the green ink.

_Mr. J. Potter_

_Suite three on the third floor_

_5762 Farrago Trail_

_Kendal_

_Cumbria_

He opened the envelope and took out the letter.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on first September. We await your owl by no later than thirty-first July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

In his mind, the same few words kept getting repeated. I’m a wizard. I'm a wizard. I'm a wizard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you find any typos please inform me, I only want to improve my writing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at Hogwarts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Domestic Abuse (First section), Bullying (Fourth section), Scars (Seventh section), Self Esteem Issues (seventh section)  
> If any of these topics will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

Remus knew that he was getting weird stares. After all, it wasn’t every day that Muggles saw a scared kid in flowing second-hand black robes, pushing a trolley with a marked-up trunk. He felt his mum’s hand on his shoulder as he pushed the trolley up to the area between Platform nine and Platform ten. A few people with owls, cats or toads, pushed their way to the brick wall and ran into it, disappearing from sights. The Muggles must have been very distracted or there was some Muggle repelling charms. Pushing the trolley next to Platform eight he stopped and turned to his mum.

“Can you come with me onto the platform?”

“Oh, Remus I don’t think so. Your father never mentioned this, I don’t want to get you into trouble.” The chime from the station clock sounded from behind them, signaling that it was nine o’clock. He didn’t know much about the Hogwarts Express. But remembering back to other times he was on public trains, he knew that to get a good seat he needed to hurry up. His knees were starting to hurt, the full moon was yesterday and he wasn’t able to recover yet.  Maybe if he met the matron she can help him feel better. “Come here, Remus.” His mum pulled him into a hug, petting his hair as if he was a small child. As embarrassing as it was it still made him feel more grounded.

“Mom, I’m going to miss you so much.” He felt like he was going to cry but he knew he couldn’t. If he started to cry he would hear his father’s voice in his head and he didn’t want to go through that now.

“I know honey. But when you get sorted, send home a letter and I’ll write you back. Even at Hogwarts, you are never far away from me.” His mum stopped talking for a minute, pulling back from the hug she started to adjust his robes. That’s what she does when she is upset. Remus can remember many times when he came home to see his mother cleaning the whole house with bruises on her face. “Okay, Remus John I love you. But now you need to get going, we don’t want you to get stuck with a bad compartment now do we? And my train back will be leaving soon.”

She led him back over to Platforms nine and ten. He stood straight in front of it, hugged his mum one more time and ran into the wall, leaving her on the other side. He was overwhelmed once he got onto the wizarding side of the platform. Being only a few minutes after nine meant that few people were there. But being homeschooled and living in a small village made it hard for him to be around such a commotion. He took his trolley and towards opened train door. Using his strength he moved his trunk from the trolley to the train, straining his muscles even more. Picking up the handle on his trunk he walked down the aisle, seeing many empty compartments. Remus picked the empty compartment at the back of the train. He put his trunk on the shelf above the seats and sat down, falling asleep almost instantly.

 

* * *

 

Peter looked back at his mum, worry written all over his face.

“Mom are you sure that this is the way to get to Platform nine and three quarters?” His mum looked at him amused.

“Yes, Peter, I’ve told you this about five times, just today. I went to Hogwarts before you know, this is the way to get onto the platform. All you need to down is to run into the wall between Platform nine and Platform ten. Okay?” Peter nodded and breathed out, he was now determined to do this, it was now or never.

His mum put her hand onto his trolley handlebars. They both started to run at the wall, ending up to Platform nine and three quarters. He looked around a saw a bright ruby red train, the Hogwarts Express. Peter couldn’t believe it, he was finally getting to go to Hogwarts, he was going to learn how to do magic.

“Love,” his mum bent down before him, “You need to remember that I love you no matter what house you are in.”

“What are each of the houses again?”

“There are four houses;  Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. I was a Hufflepuff back when I went. Gryffindors are brave, Ravenclaws are smart, Hufflepuffs are kind, and Slytherins are cunning. But it doesn’t matter what house you are in, because I love you anyways.” As his mum was talking, he went through each trait and didn’t believe that he was any of them. What happens if he wasn’t any house, do they send him home? He wanted to ask his mum, but he couldn’t as he heard the train whistle. He needed to leave. “I love you, Peter, write to me tonight to tell me everything that happens. I’m sure that you will enjoy Hogwarts so much.” Leaning down she pressed a kiss to his face.

“I love you to mum.” He grabbed his trunk and rushed into the train. Getting washed away by other students, trying to find their friends.

 

* * *

 

"You better make it into Slytherin, Sirius, don’t be a disappointment." His mother said Sirius didn’t know how many times he has heard these words today. That was the majority of the words that were repeated to him today, not 'Goodbye Sirius, we love you'. Only ‘Slytherin Sirius, get into Slytherin’.

His parents were talking to him again, he looked back up at them and gathered all of his courage, which wasn’t much.

“Yeah I know, mother. I need to get into Slytherin, I know. I need to go now.” The clock mounted on the wall behind them read ten fifty if the train left at eleven then he needed to go now.

He looked down at his younger brother, “Bye Reg, I’ll see you later, yeah?” Picking up the handle on the trunk he walked away from his parents and Reg, not even looking behind. He knew that it was mean to leave Reg like that, but he didn’t want to face his parents sooner than necessary. Glancing into each compartment on the train, Sirius wasn’t looking at where he was going and bumped into something.

 

* * *

 

James wiggled away from his mum as she went to go kiss his forehead again. He opened his mouth to complain, but her hijab got into his mouth.

“Ugh, mum stop it.”

“James be nice to your mother.” He looked up at his dad and saw tears on his checks. Twisting to get a good look at his mum’s face he saw that she also had tears on her face.

“Why are you guys crying, even I’m not crying and I’m younger than you. It’s not like I’m permanently leaving, you can still write to me.”

“We know, but it’s just s-” His mum started to say when his dad cut her off.

“Oh, remember to write us after you get sorted, and we don’t care what house you are in we will love you anyways.” James knew that this was a lie. They would still love him, but they really wanted him to be in Gryffindor, and he had no doubt that he wouldn’t be.

“Mont, don’t interrupt me!”

“Sorry, you know I love you too honey.” His dad lent down to kiss her.

“Ew, dad. I’m out of here! Bye, see you next year!” He said joking but still turned away his mum stanched back his arm.

“Don’t you dare, James.” His mum actually sounded threatening, as much as a five foot two mum could be. She pulled him into one last hug, then his dad pulled him into another.

“Remember what I gave you, use it wisely.” He whispered into James’ ear as they were hugging, James thought of the family cloak that he had in his trunk.

“I will dad.” The train whistle blew and he pulled away. “Bye! I love you guys.”

Once again he turned away from his parents with his trunk being pulled behind him. On the train, he looked out through the door to try to find his parents in the crowd. It wasn’t even a minute of walking down the hallway before he bumped into something, a new record for him.

 

* * *

 

“Oww!” James exclaimed when his but hit the ground. The other boy was still standing and didn’t look hurt. James started to stand and when he finally was on two feet he put out his hand in front of him.

“I’m James, it’s so nice to meet you.” The other boy reached out to shake it.

“While James, I’m Sirius. It’s nice to meet you too, I just wish it wasn’t like this.” Sirius said. Both of them looked at each other up and down, studying each other. “Come on James, let's go find a compartment, all of them up that way are full, I already checked.” Sirius pointed up the train and picked up his trunk waiting until James was ready before turning and walking in the opposite direction.

“So Sirius, where are you from, you sound London-ish?”

“Do I? I never heard anything different. But, yeah I’m from London, born and raised. Where are you from?”

“I’m from up north, near Kendal. Do you know where that it?” Sirius nodded and opened a compartment door. Inside was a sleeping boy and a red-headed girl. “Can we join you?” He tried to ask in his nicest voice. He didn’t want to sound mean and have to go find another seat.

The redhead looked over with red eyes, both of them realized that she was crying. “Yeah, just be quiet.” She said that in a stuffy voice, and pointed over at the boy. “He has been sleeping since I came in, he looks super tired.”

“Thanks,” James said. They both put their trunks up in the wire shelf above them and sat down. They started talking quietly about random things and playing Exploding Snap until a boy entered.

The new boy didn't say anything as he went into their compartment and sat down on a bench in front of the girl.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” James and Sirius heard, they looked into each others eye’s and continued playing. Still listening to the other’s conversation.

“Why not?”

“Tuney h-hates me because we saw that letter from Dumbledore.” Sirius perked up that the mention of Dumbledore. He never met the headmaster before but he has heard the things his parents have said about him before.

“So what?” At this James looked over at the boy, he looked similar but he couldn’t place him. He turned back to Sirius, and placed down another card, still listening in.

“So, she’s my sister!” So much for being quiet, her exclamation made the boy in the corner moan and move more into the wall. James thought if boy moved anymore he would end up in the wall.

“She’s only a -” Sirius knew that the boy was going to say ‘she’s only a Muggle’, he wondered if he was a pure-blood as well. The threw a glance at the boy, but he didn’t recognize him, but he wondered if he saw the other in passing.

“But we’re going! This is it! We’re off to Hogwarts! You’d better be in Slytherin.” James didn’t know who this boy was, but even he wouldn’t want to be in Slytherin.

“Slytherin? Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I’d leave, wouldn’t you?” James asked, talking to Sirius, but the other two first-years were also watching him.

“My whole family have been in Slytherin,” Sirius said this while looking ashamed. As much as he tried, Sirius still couldn’t believe that he would be getting into Slytherin.

“Blimey, and I thought you seemed all right!” It wasn’t that James didn’t like the other houses. His parents raised him to accept others, it just that he heard of the Purebloods who have been in Slytherin. With Sirius’ autocratic looks the other could be a Pureblood. Digging his brain he tried to think of Pureblood families who were in Slytherin, lived in London and had a son in his year. The only family James could think of was the Blacks, but that isn’t right Sirius was a nice person, he couldn’t be a Black.

“Maybe I’ll break the tradition.” Sirius smiled, and James was back to thinking that Sirius was a nice person, a Black or not. “Where are you heading, if you’ve got the choice?” Sirius looked at James, as he raised his arm like he was holding a sword.

“Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Like my dad.” James knew that he wanted to get into Gryffindor. It was his dad’s house, and if his mum went to Hogwarts she would have also been in Gryffindor, James knew that. The boy made a noise, and James turned to him. “Got a problem with that?”

“No. If you’d rather be brawny than brainy-” He sneered, cut off by Sirius.

“Where’re you hoping to go, seeing as you’re neither?” Sirius didn’t know why he said that it was a brave thing to say and he wasn’t brave. Maybe he was trying to show off for his hopefully new friend. James started to laugh, and Sirius joined in. The girl got up, pulled her trunk behind her and motioned for her friend to get up.

“Come on, Severus, let’s find another compartment.” She opened the door and left.

“See ya, Snivellus,” James called after them as the door slammed closed. He looked back at Sirius to see the boy jerk at the noise. “You’re a Pureblood too right? Did you recognize him?” Sirius looked at James, surprise in his eyes.

“Yeah, but how did yo-” He didn’t have the chance to finish as the door opened and a voice started talking.

 

* * *

 

So far looking for a spot to sit was very challenging. Peter knew that getting on the train late was going to make it difficult to find a spot. But it wasn’t supposed to be this hard. At first, he found a compartment with two other students and asked if he could sit there. They said no and slammed the door in his face. The second compartment had a bunch of older kids with the curtain was closed on the door. He opened it too look it, and got "Eh, Mudbood, didn’t you see the closed door!" yelled at him, and another door slammed in his face. He didn't know exactly what the term 'Mudblood' meant, but Peter knew that it was most likely bad. The third compartment was okay. There were two students in the compartment, but this time they didn’t say no when he asked to sit. Instead, they said yes. They introduced themselves as Frank Longbottom and Alice Yates, both third years. The three of them started to talk for a while until Frank and Alice's friends started to come in.

“Who's this kid?” One of their friends asked.

“His name is Peter, and he’s a little firstie.”

“Why is he in here?” Peter knew that he wasn’t wanted in the compartment anymore. The group wanted to talk about their summers and didn’t want him there to hear them. It wasn’t like he wanted to be in their conversation either. Frank started to protest, saying that Peter was welcomed in their compartment. But Peter interjected.

“It’s okay, I think that I want to go meet some other first-years anyways. You know so that I'm not alone in my classes.” He saw Frank nod out of the corner of his eye when he started to grab his trunk from the shelf.

Opening the door he started to search for another compartment. A few minutes later he was almost at the end of the train and still couldn't find a place to sit. A compartment door slides open and a red-headed girl and a gloomy boy stormed out, knocking Peter out of the way.

“See ya, Snivellus.” A boy called out as the door was slamming shot. Peter got up and opened the door. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea after all the boy who called out seemed rude, but there weren’t that many options this late into the trip.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, do you mind if I sit with you?” Peter asked looking at the people in the compartment. He saw two boys sitting in the middle of both benches and a sleeping boy leaning against the wall that the door was on.

“Yeah, sure. I’m James, it’s nice to meet you. What’s your name?”

“Peter, what’s yours.” He nodded over at the other boys.

“Sirius.” An awkward silence settled in after Peter sat down finishing putting his trunk on the rack.

“So, who wants to play Exploding Snap? The extra challenge to make it fun is being quiet so we don’t wake him up.” James asked, both of the others agreed and they played until it was time to change into their uniforms.

“I hate uniforms, I had to wear one for school and it was awful,” Peter said, facing the wall to change his shirt.

“Really? I never went to a Muggle school or a wizard one.” James mumbled struggling to put on his tie, his father showed him so many times but he never got it. He looked up from his tie to see Sirius back facing him. All over his back was bold semi-horizontal lines. Scars. James had multiple scars all over his body, mostly on his legs, from playing outside. But he had never seen the scars that were on Sirius’ back.

Soon enough the boys could see the tips of Hogwarts through the trees.

“Should we wake him up?” Peter asked, pointing towards the sleeping boy.

“Oh yeah, I'll do it.” James loved waking people up, when he was younger he used to jump on his parent’s bed to wake them up early in the morning. Walking over the kid and pushed his shoulder a few times, “Hey, wake up!” James gave his shoulder again when the boy jolted up and James jumped back. “You might want to get up, we are almost at Hogwarts. What's your name?”

“R-Remus”

“My name is James, that's Sirius,” James pointed at a boy with short black hair, “and that's Peter.” He pointed at a boy with blond hair.

“Are you a first year too?” Peter asked, and Remus nodded.

The other boys continued to play their game of Snap and Remus pulled out a book to read.

“Welcome students! We’re now at Hogsmeade Station. Please leave your trunks and pets on the train and they will be moved up to your dorms. Thank you.” An announcer said. Remus looked up at the ceiling and didn’t see any speakers, he wondered if there was some magical spell. He felt like he would be so behind the other students, he never saw that much magic before only what his father used. James packed up the Snap cards placing them in his pocket and Remus placed his book into his trunk. Once the train came to a stop and the boys walked out into the packed train station.

“First ‘ears, over ‘ere first ‘ears.” A loud shout said from the other side of the platform. The boys struggled their way through the swarm of the other students and eventually came to stand in front of a tall man.

“‘Ello there! Firsties, get on to the boats. Slowly! We wouldn’t want any ones falling.” Remus looked up at the man for a second catching his kind eyes behind his bushy beard. Averting his eyes after realizing that his man probably knew what a monster he was. All the staff was informed of his condition, and he was part of the staff.

Scurrying after the boys into a boat, they had to wait a while until all the boats were filled. And for Hagrid splashed his way into his own boat at the front of the pack. The professor moved his pink umbrella in a jerky movement forward in the air and the boats started to move. The four boys kept their eyes in front of them as they moved across the lake.

“Duck ‘er heads!” Hagrid called out as they came across a low hanging rock formation with an ivy curtain below it. As they came out from the curtain that they saw in front of them was amazing.

Hogwarts castle. The windows were lit up and behind it glowed the waning full moon. It was the perfect sight, and now Peter now knew why they took the boats even if he got sick from the waves across the lake. This sight was a perfect way to introduce the new first years to the castle. To early a cave entrance below the castle came into view and the boats started to dock.

On wobbly legs, they got out and congregated around a wooden door. Hagrid knocked with a heavy hand, causing loud booms to go around the cave. And the door started to open.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please mention them, all I want to do is improve my writing.
> 
> Much of the dialogue in the fourth section is copied directly from the Harry Potter books.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sorting Ceremony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Implied child abuse (first section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

The door opens and out steps a woman in floor-length emerald green robes and a matching hat. All the first years were silent as she marched herself to the top of the steps.

“Welcome to Hogwarts.” As she started to speak her eyes stared down at the students, glancing over them. “The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly. But before you take your seats in the great hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony, because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts.” Her eyes landed on Remus, who was twisting his necktie. He hadn’t worn one in a very long time, since his last school when he was five, but he could foresee it being a nervous habit.

“You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.” Looking to the side of Remus she noticed three other boys surrounding him. She knew two of their names Sirius Black and James Potter. It was hard not too, James looked so much like his father and almost all Blacks look alike. “Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.” Chatter resumed as she ended her speech and moved closer to the door.

She looked back at the boys. Mr. Black was now chewing at his fingernails, an activity that must have earned him a lot of punishments at home. The other boy, the blond whose name she wasn't sure of, looked nervous but was standing still. Unlike Mr. Potter looked like he was close to jumping up and down from excitement.

 

* * *

 

Remus looked at the other boys around him, annoyed that they wouldn't leave him alone. He didn't need friends, they would leave anyways once they find out what a monster he is. And once again school-age boys are really annoying, himself included. He needed to study, he couldn’t be surrounded by obnoxious boys.

“So Sirius, what do you think we have to do? I think we have to wrestle a troll?” James asked.

“A T-troll? Why a troll?” Peter turned to Remus. “Do you really have to wrestle a troll, Remus.”

“No.” He didn’t want friends, he could never have friends, and so he couldn’t make these people his friends. It was fine on the train, after all, it wasn’t like he could get up to find another compartment. But now they seemed attached to him.

“He is right, Peter. My cousins have told me all about it, it isn’t scary at all.” Sirius added on, he was a little upset because he wasn’t going to be surprised now. Maybe that was the fun thing about the sorting. Bella could have been right, Sirius shouldn’t have kept asking about Hogwarts, it would have been more fun wondering it

“Really?

“Both of them are lying Peter, of course, it is going to be scary. Why wouldn’t it be? We are in Hogwarts after all.” James replied, “Maybe we have to fight a -”. He never got to finish as the door into the castle once again opened.

“Follow me!” The witch said before she turned her back to them and started walking. The students followed her into a smaller room. From there they entered a huge room. There were so many moving pictures lining the wall. Sets of large moving staircases, and a huge wooden door that was shut. As she walked them towards the door, Remus could hear the voices of students on the other side. The professor summoned a scroll of parchment which flew into her waiting hand. Waving her hand the doors opened them themselves.  

It opened to show a long huge room, full of children with black robes sitting at four tables. Each table had a colored banner, one for each house. The group made their way down the middle aisle and stopped in front of a stool. Above, the ceiling was charmed to show the sky outside, right now it was full of bright stars and the shining moon.  There was a low stage at the end of the hall that had another long table, this one was full of professors. Hagrid as sitting at one of the seats, and there was one missing. Peter thought that it might have belonged to the witch who was leading the group.

The headmaster was sitting at the middle seat, looking down at the students. Remus looked up at him and caught Dumbledore's eye. The old man sent a small smile, but it didn’t make Remus feel any more relaxed, instead, it made him feel anxious. How many others knew about him being a monster?

On the stool was a dirty brown hat. Sirius knew what this was but the other boys didn't. James almost jumped when the brim of the hat opened like a mouth and started to sing.

 

“ _Three hundred sixty-four day_

_I sit on a shelf_

_Getting dusty and moldy_

_Writing a song for you_

 

_People may not find me useful_

_Until they really know me_

_For I'm the Sorting Hat_

_The best on the shelf_

 

_I'm the one who looks in your head_

_Finding out who you really are_

_It must be scary but not to worry_

_For once again I'm the Sorting Hat_

 

_Your friends await_

_For your house is your home_

_But be aware friends come in all shapes_

_So don't limit yourself to one_

 

_Gryffindor is for the brave and the daring_

_The ones who are willing to fight_

_No matter whom, what, why or how_

_If this is you, then you belong with the lions_

 

_Slytherin is for the cunning and the sly_

_The ones who plan, slowly fighting_

_No matter what the cause they are dedicated_

_You belong with the snakes if this is you_

 

_Hufflepuff is for the loyal and the hardworking_

_The ones who fight for their friends_

_No matter who they are fighting for_

_If this is you, then you are a puff true and true_

 

_Ravenclaw is for the smart, witty and creativity_

_The ones who design and try_

_No matter how tough it is they are ready for it_

_You belong with the claws, if this is you_ ”

The students starred at the hat, memorized by it. The hat made a little motioned similar to a tiny bow, and the students started to clap. Once the clapping ended the emerald robed witch unrolled the parchment.

“When I call your name, you will come to sit on the stool. The hat will sort you into one of the four houses and then you will sit with your new house.” She paused for a moment and started to call names.

“Abascal, Hankin.” A boy walked up to the stool, sitting for a moment, the hat called out.

“Ravenclaw!” The house underneath the table with blue and bronze banners started to clap and congratulate their new member.

The teacher, whose name the student didn't know yet, continued to call out names. Three kids were sorted into Ravenclaw and two into Slytherin. During this time Sirius was hating his last name, why did it start with a ‘B’, it was the worst letter in Sirius’ opinion. It so close to the start of the alphabet, why couldn’t his last name start with a ‘Z’, then he would at least be able to wait longer.

“Black, Sirius.” He walked up to the stool, not looking at the Slytherin table knowing that his cousins will be looking at him. Remus stared at the boy, he was so nice on the train how could he be a Black. His father talked about them a little, how they killed monsters like him. James wondered about rather the boy would be in Slytherin like his family, or in another house like he wanted.

“Oh, another Black.” The sorting hat said into Sirius’ head. “But you aren't like your family, now are you. Slytherin would be a good fit, you are very sly. So would Ravenclaw, you have a ton of wit and a sharp tongue, Hufflepuff loyalty. But more than anything you are really brave.”

“But I'm not brave! I can't even stand up for myself.”Sirius thought back to the hat. “I need to be in Slytherin.”

“Yes, you are. You are willing to stand up to your family, even if you don't know it yet. So I'll put you in…” He the last part out loud, “GRYFFINDOR!”

The great hall was quiet, the Blacks always got into Slytherin. How could a Black be in Gryffindor? The teacher pulled off the hat and lighting pushing Sirius off of the stool and towards the scarlet and gold table. Sirius made his way to the Gryffindor table in a blur. He had no idea why the hat here. Once he sat down on the bench the table started to clap. What was his family going to do?

It was Remus' turn to worry now, as student after student was sorted. Four more students were sorted into Gryffindor, five into Hufflepuff. Two more into Slytherin and two into Ravenclaw, before it was Remus’ turn to be sorted. It wasn’t that he was worried about his house, but about the other students. He couldn’t be friends with his housemates, he couldn’t risk them finding out. It was bad enough that all the staff knew about him, but no one else could know.

“Lupin, Remus.” He didn't know the teacher's name but she met his eyes and gave him a small supporting smile. Remus hated how people who knew what he was, also acted differently. She hadn’t smiled at anyone students, and she only did it to him because he turned into a monster a few days ago. The stool was short enough that he didn't have to struggle to sit on it,  

“Oh, Interesting, Very interesting, a werewolf. I never sorted a werewolf before, the past headmasters would never allow for a werewolf to attend. It certainly makes you braver than most. But you are also very smart and very interested in learning. You have a love for learning, yes, but the amount of your bravery tremendous.”

“GRYFFINDOR!” The hat called out, cheering erupted from the table, as Remus walked over them. Sirius tugged on Remus' arm when the other passed, making him wince but sit down.

“Where do you think you were going?”Sirius whispered near Remus’ ear.

“To sit down.”

“Yeah, sit down next to me.” If Sirius couldn't have his house then he might as well have his new friends. He looked back over to the crowd of unsorted first years, his eyes landing on Peter and James.

Peter was freaking out, he wanted to be with his friends, but how could he. He didn't feel very brave so he couldn't be in Gryffindor. He looked over to the table that his new friends were sitting at, and locked eyes with Sirius who smiled a little at him. It was supposed to calm him down, but it didn't it only made it worse. Before his name was called a few more students got sorted. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw got one student each. While Hufflepuff and Slytherin got two students each.

“Pettigrew, Peter.” He could swear that his heart stopped for a second when his name was called out. And a second when he stumbled on his way up to the stool. Once he sat onto the stool the hat was placed on his head. For a few seconds, there was no noise, he didn't know what the hat was supposed to do.

“While,” The hat spook and Peter jumped, no one told him that the hat would talk. “You certainly are interesting, aren’t you.”

“What?” Peter had no idea what the hat met. He wasn’t interesting at all, in fact, he was the boring person in all his classes.

“You are a mix off all the houses, more so than any of the others in your year. You are loyal to those whom you side with and you are willing to learn. But those don’t matter. Rather you, believe it or not, you are both brave and ambitious.”

“Does that mean I will be sent home?” Peter knew that this would happen. He would be sent home, he didn’t belong at Hogwarts.

“No, you will be staying here. It means I can’t be the one to sort you. A student does get the say in their sorting. Where do you want to go?” It took him a few moments to think. Where would he want to go? He had to be with his new friends. If the witch was telling the truth and almost every moment was spent with their housemates. Then if he wasn't in the same house as the other boys then they could never see each other.

“Gryffidor would be nice, m-”

“GRYFFINDOR!” The hat yelled out before Peter was able to finish his sentence.

With Sirius and the rest if the table clapping he got off the stool and walked over. Plopping himself across the table from two boys.

“Potter, James.” James, unlike the other boys, wasn't nervous at all. He knew that he was going to be a Gryffindor. There was no doubt in his mind that it wasn’t true. He strutted up to the stool and dropped down, the hat wasn’t even on his head before it was yelling.

“GRYFFINDOR!”

He got up and almost ran over to the Gryffindor table sitting across from the others. They talked through the other sortings including Snivellus who was sorted into Slytherin.

Once the last kid, a boy names Ravi Wilms was sorted. Food appeared on the table and students tore into it, hungry after waiting for all the sortings. James and Sirius were too busy eating to talk, the later still hungry after their last punishment. Peter was trying all the new foods that he never had before, and Remus wasn't eating, his stomach still ill from yesterday.

After dessert, the headmaster got up and stood in front of a podium.

“Welcome! A warm welcome to the new students. Who have empty skulls who are in need of filling. Welcome to the old students, whose skulls are in need of refilling.” A few students started to clap, and when the noise died down Dumbledore continued. “Now, for students who were here last year. You might have remembered the Whomping Willow and the warnings I impressed. But for the first years and those who don’t remember. It is imperative that you don’t go near the Willow, it will can and will harm you. Once you are caught you will get into plenty of trouble for not listening to our warnings. I wish you a good night!” Dumbledore waved his hand in goodbye. “Anyone who is not a first year or a Prefect many leave now. First years will be lead to their new dorms by the Prefects.”

Upper years started to stand and meet with their friends, heading up to their common rooms. Soon the hall was empty except for first years and the prefects.

“Hi! My name is Victoria Winfield, but you can call me Vic.” Said a girl who had walked up to the first years. An almost identical look boy started to talk.

“My name is Vincent Winfield, and you can call me Vin. We are both fifth years and we are some of your prefects.”

“Now we are going show you to the common room.” Vic motioned for first-years to walk behind them. The common room was up many flights of stairs making Remus’ joints hurt, and Peter’s asthma to flare up. Both of them had no idea how they would climb up these steps every day for months. Finally, they made it to a portrait of a lady in a frilly pink dress.

“This is the Fat Lady.” Vin started. “And is the entrance to the common room. If you forget the way here or don’t know how to get places, ask an older Gryffindor student most of us are willing to help. The password changes fortnightly and the new passwords will be posted on the memo board. If you forget the password then you will have to wait outside until another Gryffindor comes to let you in. This weeks password is ‘plenus luna’.”

The door swung open the students went in. The room was full of red and yellow furnishing. Chairs set into little groups, allowing for multiple conversations. There was a fireplace in the middle of the room, that seemed to the open on all sides, allowing for many to sit near the fire. The fire mad the room feel cozy, and warm even though it was quite warm outside for September.

“The boy’s doors are up the stairs on the left, the girl’s dorms are to the rights. Josef, you can pick what dorm you want to be in later.” A kid in the back of the group nodded, so Vic continued. “You can be in the common room at any time. But after midnight you are expected to be quiet, a swell in the stairways for the dorms and in the dorms themselves. House-elves will clean your clothes, and such so you don’t have to worry about that. They will also clean bathrooms and make beds, not clean the room itself. There will be random checks once a month to see if your room is semi-clean, so make sure you do that. In the morning we will help you walk down to the Great Hall, and show the way to your classes. Right now if you want to send a letter home you can. I’ll be here until nine and then I’ll take them up to the owlery to send them off. Afterward, you will have to send the letters off tomorrow. You can Follow us to go up to your dorm rooms and afterwards you can come back down.”

The four boys followed Vin up the steps to their room. Five of the other Gryffindor first years were girls and Josef didn’t follow the group.

Each dorm room was a single floor, with two rooms inside each a semicircle. Two doors were connecting the bathroom and the bedroom. The entrance into the staircase was in the middle of the dorm in a square room. There four beds in the bedroom part. Peter picked the bed on one end of the room, Remus the other end. James and Sirius picked the beds in the middle. Next to each bed was a desk, a nightstand, and their trunk. Surrounding each bed was a set of maroon curtains. In the attached bathroom, there were two stalls, both with a toilet and a shower. In between the doors was a long counter with sinks with mirrors above. On the other was were four wooden lockers, to store bathroom supplies in. They were unlocked by tracing a word or a set of numbers with their finger. Separating the lockers into two sets of two, was a floor length mirror.

Taking out their quills and parchment all the boys sat at their desks writing letters to their parents. Sirius knew that if he didn’t send a letter, then they would hear it from Cissy, Meda wouldn’t have told his parents. Once all the letters were written. James walked the letters to Vic and soon they fell asleep, wanting to be ready for tomorrow.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing. 
> 
> McGonagall's speech in the first section is copied directly from the first Harry Potter book.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first day at Hogwarts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Self Esteem Issues (first section), Racism (second section), mentions of Child Abuse (second section), mentions of Homophobia (second section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

For all the boys it was hard to sleep. There were noises that they didn’t have at home, like the sounds of the others sleeping. Peter snored loudly and James made loud breathing sounds. Remus got up many times throughout the night to head into the bathroom. Sirius was silent through the night. Which made Remus, who was the lightest sleeper very grateful. But Sirius didn’t tell the others that he put up a silencing spell around his bed. He had found it when he was searching in his family's library. All the noises were annoying, but the most obnoxious thing was an alarm going off at six in the morning.

“What’s that?” James said groggily, he never woke up this early. “Why are you getting up so early?” He didn’t know who it was, but whoever it was is crazy.

“Sorry,” Remus muttered, turning the alarm off and grabbing his stuff to go into the bathroom. Soon after James heard the shower turn on as he fell back to sleep.

In the bathroom, Remus was in love, it was much bigger than the one that he had at home. He set the password to his locker, with his mother’s name. It was the only thing that he could think off, and no one would be able to guess it. He put some of his stuff into the locker and took the rest into the stall. Turning on the hot water, it must have taken at least twenty minutes for his joints to feel better. Remus never found his way to Madam Pomfrey and the long walk upstairs made him sorer than before.

Sirius, however, didn’t feel better at all. He was so nervous about his parent’s reaction to Gryffindor when Remus’ alarm went off he got up. Once the bathroom door closed Sirius got out of his bed. Slowly he gathered his clothes and bathroom items. The other two boys were still sleeping so he didn’t stop to say anything. Entering the bathroom a cloud steam hung in the air and moisture was on the mirrors.

“Hi, Remus!”Sirius said loudly, hoping that Remus would hear him over the sound of the water. “Your shower is so hot, you’re going to burn yourself.” Remus sighed wishing that Sirius didn’t say anything else. His head hurt and he didn’t want to talk to these kids, he couldn’t have friends. When the other boy didn’t reply, Sirius thought that he didn’t hear him. He went into the other stall, turned on the shower and stepped into the cold water. He didn’t know what he wanted his password for his locker yet.  

After a half an hour Remus left the room. All dressed in his uniform, stepping into the cold bedroom, leaving Sirius alone. He saw that the other two boys were still in bed, or he thought they were as the curtains around their bed were closed. Remus started to pack his bag with the things he knew he was going to need, like parchment, ink, and quills. The bathroom door opened letting the steam out, and he could hear Sirius playing with the locker.

In the shower Sirius came up with the best password, that wouldn’t be guessed. It would be Reg’s birth date, April eleventh, nineteen sixty-one. Once he got dressed, he opened the door and went over to his locker. He wrote the numbers ‘11 4 1961’, placed his stuff into the locker, closed the door and walked into the room. James and Peter were still sleeping, he looked at the clock and saw that it was six forty-five. He didn’t know how they would be able to get up in time. Maybe they would be ready by seven, which was when Victoria and Vincent said they would be leading them down to the Great Hall. But Sirius really doubted that it seemed like they didn't wake up early. If they slept in too long then they would need to find their own way down or ask another student.

Remus finished putting his stuff into this bag and was now making his bed.

“Why are you making your bed Remus? The house elves do that?” Sirius broke the silence.

“I always did it at home, I didn’t think anything of it. And they shouldn’t have to do it for me.” Remus didn't think that it was fair, for the elves to make the beds for him. He'd never seen a house elf before, but he didn't think that they were supposed to make beds for monsters.

“Oh, okay.” A few seconds passed as Sirius started to take out his bag and started to place stuff inside of it. “Are you ready to meet Victoria and Vincent or did you plan on going later?”

“Yeah, I’m ready.” They left the room and went to the common room sitting in the big fluffy chairs until the twins came to walk them down.

Up in the dorm, James and Peter were sleeping until seven thirty when another alarm sounds.

“Why did you set that alarm, James?” Peter complained, as he got up and started walking to his trunk taking out his stuff. None of them put their bathroom supplies away last night, which Peter was starting to regret.

“What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything.” James also started to get up to gather his things.

“Maybe the castle did it for us. Setting alarms every school day.”

“Maybe.” James thought that it was a good idea, but would get annoying very fast.

Both of them were quiet as they showered and set their passwords. James used his middle name or his father’s first name writing ‘Fleamont’ and Peter used the name ‘Lambie’. He still had that stuffed sheep, in fact, he had it in his trunk right now. By eight they were in the common room, with their bags packed, looking for someone to walk them down to the Great Hall.

“Hey, Peter!” Someone called out from across the room. Peter turned around, grabbed James’ arm and dragged him to where the voice came from. “How was your first night here? Who’s this?”

“James, this is Alice and Frank.” He pointed to each of them respectively, “Alice, Frank this is James.” All that James said was hi.  James recognized both of them from parties that he had been to, but they didn’t seem to know who he was. “It was good, the food was interesting. Anyways can you show us the way to the Great Hall?”

“Sure, we were going to leave in a few minutes, but we can go now.” They exited the common room, taking the same path that they walked last night. James had no idea how they would ever find their way around the castle. The headmaster should have given away maps.

 

* * *

 

Once in the Great Hall, they found Sirius, sitting at the far end of the table up near the professor's stages. Remus was close to Sirius but not sitting with him, instead, he was sitting by himself.

“Wow, they are finally up. I thought you two would be sleeping ‘till noon.” Sirius joked once they sat down and started to pile food on their plate. A few minutes were spent in silence as they were eating and looking around the Great Hall.

“What class are you looking forward to?” Peter asked.

“Ew, why are you talking about school?”

“Sirius be nice, to Peter, we are living at school now. I’m looking forward to Defense so that I can fight those evil wizards.” James proudly said he wanted these predigested wizards to be put into Azkaban so that they can’t hurt anyone. He might have been a Pureblood wizard, but they were still blood traitors. His grandparents were from India which made those wizards like them even less. He had seen a few of the Death Eaters, or at least that was what he heard people call them, at galas. They have never said anything directly to his family. But he could hear them whispering about the Potters.

“Okay. If I have to choose one then I would pick Muggle Studies. I’ve seen Muggles before, but I’ve never met them. I want to see if they are as weird as my cousin says. What about you Peter?”

“Yeah, I’ve met Muggles before...”

“That’s not what I meant Peter!” Sirius exclaimed making people look over at him. “If you could take any class, which one would you take.”

“Is there a class about animals?” Peter always liked animals, his father worked at a Zoo when he still lived with Peter. When he was younger he always went to the zoo with his dad. That’s were he got Lambie, his father bought it for him on their first trip to the zoo when he was a baby.

“I think so,” James replied, he didn’t remember the name of the class, but his parents once mentioned the class. “But you can't take it for a few years. I don’t actually know.”

“Oh.” Peter felt really disheartened, but his face brightened when owls started to fly in from the open windows. They dropped letters on to the tables. Barley missing dishes of food, and bit fingers of other Gryffindor students who were slow to pay for papers. A brown owl dropped a letter in front of Peter, and he reached to pet Amor, his mum's owl. James had a beautiful snowy owl drop a letter in front of him and flew away. The owl never really liked James, But, Sirius and Remus didn’t receive letters.

Remus wasn't expecting one, even with his mum receiving the one he sent last night. She didn't have an owl and his father would never use his owl to write Remus. Making his mum go to a wizarding shop to send a letter, was something that would take a lot of time and effort. He wasn't upset that he didn't get a letter, but deep inside he was. If he did get a letter from his father, then it would show that his father maybe still loved him. Something that his father hadn’t shown and told him in a long time.

Peter was happy that he got a letter, he loved Amor, who was the sweetest owl. She was dark brown, with some feathers turning grey due to age, but still could fly long distances. His mother never let him touch other owls, but she would always let him pet Amor. Peter remembered his mum telling the story of why she bought Amor. If was soon after his father walked out, and she wanted to get an owl because her husband never let her have an owl. She picked out the nicest owl because of young Peter getting into every possible place.  Which would later include the owl cage. Peter opened the envelope and took out the letter to read it. The letter was typed in Braille, which made him love his mum even more. His dyslexia sucked, but reading Braille was easy, the only hard part was typing it out onto the parchment.

_Dear Peter,_

_I'm so proud that you made it into Gryffindor, it is a fantastic house full of brave souls. I've sent this information on to your cousins, so expect many letters in the coming days. If you can't read the Spanish Braille then you can send it to me and I'll put it into Braille for you. Or maybe they will use the typewriter that we bought them for Christmas. You know that one that types in Spanish Braille. Please tell me that you still know how to read that, if not then we can go buy another book. We gave the last one to grandma._

_Again, I’m so happy that you’re making friends. In the wizarding world, both the Black and the Potters are powerful families, who usually don't get along. However don't let that get to you, they sound like good people from what you've told me._

_Don't bother sending back Amor either, as he is your gift. As much as I love Amor, I would love him even more if he was with you. Take it as a token of my love, to remember me throughout the year. Use him to send me letters any time you want. After I dropped you off at the Platform, I went to Diagon to buy a new owl, so don’t worry about me._

_I love you very much,_

_Mum_

James’ letter was almost the same as Peter’s. It was his parents congratulating him on his house and his new friends.

_Dear Jamie,_

_Your mother and I are so proud of you for making it into Gryffindor. As soon as we got new, I started to tell Mia all about my time in Gryffindor. It’s a really good house, full of people who are willing to help you. Mia responded by telling me stories of her time at Beauxbatons, but don’t worry it was all of the same stories that you’ve heard many times before. You didn’t miss out on any of her many long stories._

_We are both happy that you have been making friends. We weren’t worried about it, but it did come to our minds that maybe you were too lonely as a child. Peter sounds like a great kid and so does Remus, despite his hesitance about making friends. He might have been isolated as a child as well, just allow him to take his time to warm up to you. After all, it is hard to share a dorm and not be friends. As Mia says all of the time, she is still friends with her dorm mates from Beauxbatons._

_However, we want to warn of Sirius Black. You already know who that family is, no matter how different he seems. We hate telling you what to do about certain aspects of your life, like your friends. But we really don’t want you being friends with him. Please take our words to heart and be very careful, we wouldn’t want you to get hurt._

_We love you,_

_Mum and Dad_

Sirius was scared that he didn’t get a letter from his parents. Other kids might be happy that their parents didn’t respond when they did something wrong. But he knew that his parents would be very angry. He didn’t know what his parents were doing and this made him afraid. He didn’t know if he wanted to get the letter today or if he wanted his parents to not send one at all. Glancing up he saw Cissy sitting at the Slytherin table with her boyfriend, she must have told her aunt and uncle what happened last night. So it wasn’t like they didn’t know at all, even if they didn’t receive his letter. Right now, Sirius was scared out of his mind, and that must have shown on his face.

“What’s wrong Sirius?” After James put down his letter he saw his friends face.

“N-Nothing.” Sirius stuttered, looking down at his plate but didn’t grab his fork.

James knew that he couldn’t take his parents advice. Yeah, it could prevent him from being hurt, after all, Sirius was a Black. But Sirius looked so afraid, he didn’t know why his friend was this way. The boy seemed fine before the mail owls came. Which made James curious and once James wanted something people couldn’t stop him. He looked over at Peter, who was feeding his owl some food off of his plate. When he saw the other boys letter, reaching out he grabbed it and saw nothing but dots on the page.

“Peter, what is this?” He waved the letter near Peter, Sirius looked up and snatched it from James.

“Yeah Peter, it doesn’t look like anything but dots.”

“It’s called Braille, it’s a type of Muggle writing. Each set of dots means a different letter, instead of reading it with your eyes, you read it with your fingers.”

“That's so cool,” James called out. “Why do you use it?”

Peter didn’t want to tell others why he really used it. He didn’t want them to think that he was weird or stupid, so he told them half off the truth.

“My mum, she’s a wizard but she grew up near Muggles. One of her Muggle friends she had before she left for Hogwarts was blind. She learned Braille so that she could send letters to her friends. She thought that it would be a cool way for us to communicate, without wizards reading our mail.”

Sirius wanted to learn it, but he didn’t say anything. This sounded really personal to Peter and he didn’t want to intrude on that. So he started to ask things about the Muggle world until the teacher who performed the sorting came up to them.

“Hello, my name is Professor McGonagall, here are your schedules.” She handed them identical schedules and walked off to the next student down the bench. They all looked down at their schedules reading them for today. Peter looked at the paper amazed, looking up at McGonagall he caught her eye and she gave him a knowing look. The paper was charmed to look like written words to others, but to him, it was typed Braille. Peter ran his fingers over Thursdays, today's, schedule.

_Hour seven thirty to hour eight fifteen - Breakfast_

_Hour eight thirty to hour nine thirty -  Charms_

_Hour nine forty-five to hour ten forty-five - Defense Against the Dark Arts_

_Hour eleven to hour twelve - Transfiguration_

_Hour twelve fifteen to hour thirteen fifteen - Lunch_

_Thirteen thirty to fourteen thirty - Transfiguration_

_Hour seventeen to hour nineteen - Dinner_

_Hour twenty-three to hour twenty-four - Astronomy_

After reviewing their schedules, the older students started to get up and leave the room.  Once again the first years and prefects were the only people in the room. There were more Gryffindor prefects than there was last night. They introduced themselves as Anthony Ibbott, Daniel Fleming, Octavia Tash, and Hermione Stevens.

“We have the first year Gryffindor schedules and one of us.” Hermione motioned to herself and the five other prefects, “will be walking you to your classes this week and part of next. It would be a smart idea to take notes on the locations of the room, such as on the fifth floor. But not on how to get there, as the stairs move.”

The rest of the day was spent going to classes, and one of the prefects leading them there. All the classes were the same. The teachers lectured about their expectations and their syllabus.

Charms in the first period were interesting, for each boy. The professor seemed to happy and had different objects, like feathers and books wiz around the room. All of them, except for Peter, knew that Professor Flitwick was a Halfbreed. Remus found it sort of reassuring that there were Halfbreeds, like Flitwick and the man from the boat. But it didn’t make him feel any less nervous about the next full moon. Sirius was conflicted about what to think about Flitwick. His parents would say that it was a bad thing, and they have in the past. However, the man was nice and Sirius couldn’t see him being a monster.

Defense Against the Dark Arts class was okay. On the way there Octavia, who was the perfect leading them there, said that Professor Hudson was new. That every year a horrible accident made the professor leave and a new one arrives in September. He was American, and explained how he moved to Scotland with is boyfriend Icarus. They both her offered a job, him here, and his boyfriend a job down in Hogsmeade village. When he mentioned his boyfriend, the room got all quite. But the awkwardness went away when Hudson started to explain what they were doing this year.

Transfiguration that day was split up into two periods, one before lunch and on after. Professor McGonagall was a strict teacher and the only one who taught them stuff on the first day. They didn’t do anything but she showed them different acts of the magic, like showing how Animagi worked. Remus didn’t know why anyone would want to become an animal willing.

Once they got back to their dorms, Peter pulled out a Braille typewriter and started to type out a letter.  James started to write one as well, to his parents arguing with their assumption on Sirius. Later that night on the way down to dinner they would ask how to get to the owlery.  When they were falling asleep in their beds that night they were all happy about their first day at Hogwarts. It made them feel like everything had changed in the past twenty-four hours. Even Sirius was happy, although he was still anxious about his parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see a typo then please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius', Peter's and James' first Hogwarts prank!

Peter and Sirius couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

“So James.” Sirius started and paused. “Let me get this right. You have an invisibility cloak and you hid it for two months.”

“Yeah.” Sirius got up from his perch on James’ bed and started to hit the other boy.

“Why are you telling us now?” Peter called in, hoping that Sirius would stop the pillow assault on James. It did when Sirius deiced that his curiosity of Peter's comment was more important than James.

“Yeah, Jamie, why now?” Sirius had taken to calling James his childhood nickname once he learned about it. He had seen it written in big letters on one of James' letters from his parents.

“While I was hoping to pull a prank for Halloween.” This started another assault on James.

“Halloween” hit “is” hit “tomorrow!” hit. Peter was glad that Remus was out of the room. Remus was currently in the library doing his homework. He was still trying to catch up on the work that he pissed out on when he was out from his classes. The full moon was last week was a few days ago and he was stuck in the hospital for a few more days. Or when he was visiting his sick mother, to his roommates.

To all the boys, the first two months of Hogwarts was good. Their classes were okay and the other professors they didn’t meet on the first day was just as good to the ones they did meet. Flying was Sirius’ and James’ favorite class, both of them learning when they were younger. But still loved it, they hoped that they could join the Quidditch team next year. Remus liked every class to be able to learn magic was amazing. He didn’t want to limit himself to liking only one, but to be honest he was super bad a potions and herbology. The smell of the plants and the potions gave him a pounding headache that makes it hard to concentrate. Peter’s favorite class was charms. During one of his classes, he had learned that it was how he performed his first accidental magic incident. To Peter didn’t seem like it had been two months, and now it was October halfway until the end of the term.

“What are you planning to do?” Peter once again called, James had grabbed his own pillow and started to wack Sirius back. As committed as they were to the fight Peter’s comment, made Sirius and James drop their pillows.

“While I was hoping that we could do something spooky in the Great Hall and see if we get caught.” James and his father would always pull pranks on each other. They always liked to prank each other on Halloween to scare the other. His father was would always win because he had the cloak, now James had the cloak and he hoped to win.

“We can do it on the Slytherins!” James and Peter didn’t know what Sirius had against the Slytherins. Sure James didn’t like them, mainly because most of them are rude to him. Sometimes calling his slurs when passing each other in the hallway. But Sirius had a whole other level of hate, James didn’t know why. Sirius to his part knew that it wasn’t fair to hate the whole Slytherin house, but he couldn’t help it nor feel bad about it. From the first week of school, they had been cornering him to beat him up, not that his friends knew. The majority of the culprits were his close cousins and their friends.  But it didn’t make him hate the rest of the Slytherins any less. That kid that they met on the train, Snivellus, was also making him mad as well. He acted like he owned Evens, he learned her name from the sorting.

“Oh! Do you remember that spell that made it all smokey, it sounded like Lumos.” James had the best idea, but he couldn’t remember the spell that they would have to use.

“Yeah, it’s Fumos.” Flitwick only thought it a few weeks ago, but Peter couldn’t forget the spell because he had to go up to the hospital wing. Another student, Peter didn’t know who the room was full of smoke due to the spells, performed the spell wrong. Instead of fake smoke, it was actual smoke, without the fire.

“Yeah, we can do that. During the feast, we can use the cloak to get close to the table. Then we can use Fumos to make it smokey and then turn off the lights. It’s probably going to be freaky, but even if we do get caught. We can’t get into to much trouble because of none of it dangerous. We just need a spell for the lights.”

 

* * *

 

All three of the boys were really excited about tonight. It was Halloween and their prank would happen at dinner.

“You need to calm down.” James scolded when Sirius started to shake at breakfast. “The professors will realize that you look excited. They'll think that your planning something. Then afterward they'll blame us."

“Yeah, I guess that seems right.” Sirius stopped bouncing, instead, he looked up and down the table. “Where’s Remus?”

“I don’t know probably the library. I heard him get up this morning again.” Every morning James could still hear the alarm blaring in the morning. It was quieter but it still woke James up, but only he who was bothered by it so James didn't complain. James was a light sleeper, Peter who slept very heavy. Sirius's silences charms diluted the loud noises. But the other boys didn't know about the charm so to him he was just a heavy sleeper.

Remus was currently in the library, he wasn't studying. But reading a book that Madam Pomfrey recommended when she was tending to him last full moon. It was a good book, and it gave him a reason to hang out in the library for longer amounts of time.  Instead of being in his dorm room with his roommates.

“Why do you think he doesn’t want to be our friends.” Remus never said that the didn’t want to be friends with the other three. But Peter knew what others do when they don’t want to be friends. They don’t talk to you, and when they did they only said short sentences. They don’t hang out in the same areas, like how Remus spent all his time in the library and not the dorm. Whenever all of them are in the same room together Remus doesn’t talk unless he is addressed.

“What makes you think that Peter?” Sirius replied, he never really thought about their other roommate not wanting their friend. The other kid never really seemed that interesting anyway.

“While he doesn’t spend time in the dorm because he is always in the library. When he is in the dorm he never talks to us, and when he does he only talks in short answers.” James didn’t think that Remus didn’t want to be their friends. He thought back to what his parents said in their first letter when they heard about Remus. He might have been isolated as a child as well.

“Well maybe he was just isolated he was younger, that's a common thing with wizarding children.”

“Yeah, his father works in the Ministry.” Lyall Lupin was a source of praise and complaints about Sirius’ parents. He married a Muggle which did concern his parents. But he also fought against werewolf and other Halfbreeds right.

The three of them stopped talking as the owl mail flew in. Dropping two newspapers in front of Sirius and James, both of whom started to order it around the start of October. James did it first and Sirius followed because James wouldn’t show it to him. Even with Sirius getting the daily prophet, he still looked scared when the mail came. From the second day of school James started to look at Sirius’ face every morning, and every morning he looked afraid.

Sirius didn’t realize that James knew he was scared, but he was because he never got a letter from his parents. He was okay with the first few days, maybe they needed time to think about it. But two weeks passed, then a month, and now it has been two months and he hasn’t gotten a letter.

“Come on, as much as it pains me to say, we need to go do homework.” James started to get up from the bench.

“Yeah.” Peter got up and continued, “Just not in the library that place is creepy.”

“Good one Pete.” Sirius followed them out of the Great Hall.

 

* * *

 

“Come on!” Sirius exclaimed and James shot him a look.

“Sirius, be quiet.” It was probably the seventh time that James had to tell Sirius to calm down. The professors would notice if Sirius was loud all day and then a prank happened.

“Peter, hurry up.” It was finally time for the prank, and Peter wasn’t getting up from the bench.

“Wait, Sirius. Don’t you think that there needs to be a watch.” Peter didn’t know a lot about pranks. But in those cop shows that his grandmother watches when she comes to their house. The criminals always had a watch out. It wasn’t that they were doing anything illegal, it was a harmless joke. But if the teachers started to question where James and Sirius were. Then Peter could answer their questions.

“Yeah, that's a great idea, Peter!” James never thought about that, when he played pranks with his family, he never had a look out.

“Now, who is being loud now James.” Sirius teased.

“Hush Sirius. Yeah, Peter’s right. He should stay back and if anyone asks where we are. Then he says that we are going to the bathroom because I felt like I needed to puke. You went because you wanted to make sure I was okay.”

“Why does Peter stay back, Jamie?” Sure, Sirius wanted to pull the prank and get revenge on the Slytherins. He couldn’t think about what his parents would do if he got caught, he would get into so much trouble.

“Because people don’t expect him to be involved in this. He’s the good kid. Right? They always see us together, so at first, they might think that we are causing trouble. But if Peter says that I’m sick then they will believe him. And if I’m sick then why wouldn’t I bring you with me, after all, they always see us together.”

“Yeah, that's a good reason, James. Are you sure that you never have done pranks before Peter?”

As time went on throughout the dinner James started to act sick.

“Hey Alice, do you know where the closest bathroom is? I forgot.” He asked the girl that sat a few seats down the table.

“Yeah. Go out the door and turn left it’s before the corner on the right. It’s gender neutral too, so don’t worry about finding a men’s room.”

“Thanks. I’ve been feeling kinda sick.” James turned to Sirius asking a little quieter but so that others could still hear him. “hey can you come with me? I don’t know if I want to go alone, after all, I don’t really know the way to the matron if I get really sick.” It was general knowledge to the Gryffindor table that Sirius had been to the hospital wing before. In early October Sirius had split some potion on himself when pouring it into a beaker. It had burned through his sleeves and touched his skin. Slughorn didn’t want him to be sick, Sirius wasn’t but was forced to spend hours doing nothing in the hospital wing. When Sirius came back that night he complained loudly for what must have been twenty minutes.

“Sure.”

They got up and walked to the door, as they passed Alice, she told him to feel better soon and walked into the shadows on the staircases. James pulled the cloak out of his pocket and covered both himself and Sirius.

“Now, remember the smokescreen spell is Fumos” James mimicked the way to move the wand, in the air in front of them. “And, we will both do the smokescreen, and you will do Extinctus, you are really good at that one.” One of the first charms they learned to do was Lumos but they recently learned Nox. Extinctus was similar to Nox, but instead of removing a light on a wand Extinctus extinguished candles. They had learned it a few days before planning their prank. Flitwick said that it was harder to remove something than it was to create something. Which James thought was true, because in his opinion Lumos was much easier to do than Nox and Extinctus.

“Okay. When we are finished we will move to the corner, and see the aftermath. But leave before any other Gryffindors so we can get to the common room. We can say that you didn’t want to go back to dinner because you were still sick.”

They walked through the opened doors and up to the end of the Slytherin table. If Sirius looked up the table he could see his cousins sitting with their friends. Farther down Snivellus. Quietly they muttered Fumos and then Sirius said Extinctus. Then moved to the corner, so that no one could touch them. The lights were out, so the only light was the ceiling, and a few people started to scream. James could understand why it would be creepy. The Great Hall was decorated with fake moving spiders on spiderwebs all around the room and fabric bats flying. Add the lights randomly turning off and the smoky air, it was weird.

They didn’t know who if it was one of the older students or a member of the staff but someone turned the lights back on. Then whoever it was removed the smoke from the air. Dumbledore walked up to the podium and started to talk.

“Well done, well done. It has been quite a few years from the last Halloween prank that caused such a frenzy. Good job to you!” He started to clap as well as some students, people went back to eating, as James and Sirius left. They pulled off the cloak once they passed the bathroom door and walked back to the dorm. It was about thirty minutes before Peter came in, he closed the door before he started talking.

“That was amazing guys! The teachers didn’t even ask where you were.” Sirius started to talk about different pranks that they could play in the future, and Peter never felt more accepted in a group. He finally had friends who wanted to be around him. Even if Remus didn’t want too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friends!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Child Abuse (second section), Swearing (second section), Racism (third section), Mentions of Nightmares (third section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

Sirius was acting weird and both James and Peter knew this. Sirius was always talking, about anything. The kid could talk for hours about one topic, and then switch to a whole new topic and continue to talk for hours. It was probably one of the reasons that Remus didn’t spend a lot of time in the dorm. It was annoying to hear Sirius go on and on, but at least they knew that he was okay. However, since around Halloween, which was two days ago, Sirius wasn’t talking a lot. He was fine after the prank, but when they woke up in the morning the next day, Sirius wasn’t talking in the morning. Sirius would talk so much in the morning waiting for Peter and Sirius to get up, that the boys didn’t need an alarm. Sirius was already one, preset every day for seven fifteen.  

Right now they were in the Great Hall eating breakfast, and Sirius was flinching at the sounds of the owls coming in the mail. An owl dropped the newspaper near Sirius’ bowl and flew away.

“Are you okay, Sirius? You’ve been super quiet lately.” James asked quietly, he didn’t want to have other people thinking that Sirius was upset.

“Yeah, I’m fine. What time is it?” James looked his watch saw that it was quarter to eight, which he told Sirius. “We better head to Charms.” The three of them headed out of the Great Hall and up to the Charms room. Holding their heavy cloaks in their arms, as they had herbology later today and the weather was very chilly.

 

* * *

 

A few hours later they were walking out to the greenhouses. Bundled up in their winter cloak protecting themselves from the wind. Finally, they stepped in the warm greenhouse and pulled off their cloaks. The room under some sort of warming spell and every time it made the students sigh in comfort. Inside the tables were covered with pots of some plant.

“Hello, hello. Come in. Sit in groups of four at the tables with the plants.” Professor Spout called. The boys moved over to one of these tables and sat in the chairs. Peter and James talked to each quietly until Remus came over.

“Hey, can I sit here?” Remus didn’t want to sit with them, but the Gryffindor girls paired together along with Josef. And he didn’t want to sit with them and his dorm mates were the only other group to join. As much as Remus liked small classes, he wished that there was another house, instead of just the Gryffindors. He was freezing, even with the warmth of the greenhouses, and his hands hurt. The threadbare second-hand clock that he was wearing had silver buckles. Which burnt his hands when he buttoned it up. He remembered Dumbledore telling his father that he didn’t need to get the cloak with the silver buttons on it as the supply list said. But his father wanted him to remember what a monster he was. Which was why he was forced to either use the winter cloak and have his hands damaged. Or don’t wear it get, sick and have his father yell at him about it.

“Sure.” Sirius looked the boy up and down as he was placing his stuff on the ground. Noticing the white bandages, that had spots blood, on Remus’ hands. “What happened to your hands?” Remus looked startled for a moment then closed off his face and replied.

“Oh, nothing. I burnt myself on the cauldron yesterday during potions.” Sirius knew that the other boy must have been lying if he burned himself yesterday. Slughorn would have sent him to the Matron in front of the whole class, but Sirius didn’t call the other boy out on it. After all, he lied to his friends this morning so he couldn’t say anything.

‘You should go to Madam Pomfrey.”

The lesson started before Remus could reply, so all of the boys listened to Sprout as she was speaking.

“Today we will be learning about mandrakes.” Professor Sprout started to say. “As you can see they are planted in the pots before you. Like any other plants, they need to be replanted. But you aren’t going to be doing that until the second year. These are older mandrakes, that need to have some of their leaves removed. Which is what you will be doing next class. Does anyone know what Mandrakes are and why they are dangerous?” A few people raised their hands, Peter recognized Lily and Josef Holland. “Mx. Holland.”

“When mandrakes are removed from their pot, which can happen during replanting, they start to scream. Their scream can kill a person if they hear it directly or make a person faint if the sound is muffled.” Ze took a break then continued. “You can prevent death by a mandrake scream by wearing earmuffs when taking mandrakes out of the pot.”

“Good job. Now, who wants to tell me the pros and cons of using mandrake leaves for potions. Along with an example of one potion that it’s used in.” This time Remus was the only student to raise their hand, “Go ahead Mr. Lupin.”

“One of the potions that use mandrake leaves is the Mandrake Restorative Draught. Which is used to restore people who have been petrified for magical reasons.” Remus took in a small breath and continued. “A positive to using mandrake leaves is that they help to strengthen the effects of antidotes to poisons. Similar to the bezoar from the stomach of a goat. But a negative is that if you don’t have a large garden, like at Hogwarts, then mandrake leaves are rare as hell. This is b-”

“Mr. Lupin, detention! I’ve mentioned previously that I don’t tolerate swearing unless we are working with plants.” Remus curled his shoulders down and looked away from Sprout, he didn’t do anything wrong. He was only answering the questions that she asked. The other three boys looked over at Remus shocked. James didn’t know why he said these things. Maybe his father was right and Remus was isolated as a child. It would explain why he would swear in front of a professor and the whole class.

Sprout continued talking about mandrakes. Showing them different parts of the leaves and explaining why their cry was fatal. Informing them about the different types of mandrakes and how they were different from each other depending on where they were located. Finally, they were let out of the greenhouses, and allowed to go to lunch. James tried to catch up to Remus, the other one almost sprinting once he was out of the greenhouse. But he must have already been in the castle as James couldn’t see him.

“I can’t believe that he would say that. Can you?” Sirius asked once they got up to the Great Hall, settling into the heat of the castle. James looked around and didn’t see the other boy, Remus must have been in the library.

Remus was in the library like James thought. He hoped that none of the other Gryffindor first years would tell others what he said. It would be bad enough that he had detention for something he didn’t know he was doing. But having the rest of the school or even some other Gryffindors was worse. He hoped that Sprout wouldn’t send a letter home to his parents. He didn’t want his mum to feel like he was being a bad kid and he didn’t want to have his dad to complain about him anymore.

After checking to see if anyone was sitting near him Remus started to change the bandages on his hands. The gauze helped to protect his palms from any more damage, but they didn’t do anything about his fingers. Once he was done, he pulled out a book and a piece of chocolate. Remus loved chocolate even if it made him feel sick to his stomach. His mother said that before Remus’ accident that he used to love chocolate. Afterward, she never allowed him to have any because she thought it would hurt him. A few years after the accident one of his mother’s cousins came to babysit him when his parents were out of town and gave him some chocolate cake. When his mother found out she freaked but calmed down when Remus said that it didn’t make him sick, which was a lie. He had the idea that eating enough chocolate would kill the wolf, as he grew up the idea faded but he still hoped.

“Yeah, I can’t believe that either. Maybe he was alone as a child, I know that none of the teachers at my Muggle school would let me talk like that.” Peter said he knew that too. Once Jonah swore in class and the teacher went on a rant saying how it was bad to swear and how it made people into criminals.

“While,” James started. “If we really want to know why he said that, we can always ask him.”

“Good idea James. We can do that tonight when he gets back from his detention.” Peter replied.

 

* * *

 

Later that night the three boys were pilled on to James bed, which was the closest to Remus’. Waiting for the boy to come back to the dorm. Finally, at half past nine, he walked into the room, his knees and hands covered in dirt. The bandaged on his hands were off now. Most likely to keep them from getting wet, and Sirius could see bright red burns covering his hands. Sirius didn’t know what caused them, or if the others noticed it. But they defiantly weren't from a hot cauldron unless his hands were on it for more than a few seconds.

“So Remus.” James started and was cut off by Remus.

“Nope, not now James. If you want to talk to me, then let it be after a shower.” Remus went to his trunk, grabbed his clothes and slammed the door behind him. He was furious,  not only did he miss out on study time but he was covered in mud. And now his roommates, who he was trying very hard not to be friends with wanted to talk to him. Most likely about what happened today, the exact thing he didn’t want to talk about. 

They waited for an hour almost for Remus to get out of the bathroom, when James asked what was taking so long. Peter reminded him that Remus’ clothes looked old and seemed thin, so he was most likely freezing cold. Eventually, the door opened and out walked Remus who was dressed in pajamas. Who once again had bandages on his hands.

“Why did you say those things in class?” James almost shouted in excitement from waiting, as soon as Remus sat on his own bed. “You must have known that Spout would have given you detention for swearing.”

“I didn’t know.” Remus turned to them and started to play with his fingers. “I was homeschooled when I was younger. My mother didn’t have a problem with me reading adult books in the house or repeating my father’s language. So I didn’t realize that it was wrong to swear after all my mother said that if adults could do swear so can I.”

“Really.”

“Yeah, Peter. I didn’t know that it wasn’t okay to swear in front of professors. Sprout said that she explained the rules in class, but I wasn’t there.”

“Thanks for sharing. I get what you are talking about. My family is Indian so we talk about a lot of different cultural things and we even speak in Hindi sometimes. I never thought that it was a bad thing to do until we were harassed about it one day in the Muggle world.”

“Yeah, my mother has family in Spain, so we know Spanish. When they come to visit we mostly speak Spanish with my grandmother. Because she doesn’t remember a lot of words in English. She can say a few things, but the last few years her dementia has gotten worse so she doesn’t really speak English that much anymore. But they visited in August to see me before Hogwarts. We were out getting lunch and these teenagers start yelling at us for speaking Spanish.”

“What dementia ?” Sirius asked, hoping to delay getting asked these questions. It wasn’t like his family went out speaking French or Latin in the Muggle world. They didn’t even go into the Muggle world.

“It's when people lose their memory, it happens a lot in old people,” Peter explained.

“So Sirius, what is yours?”

“What’s mine, James?” Sirius hoped to push this conversation off more. Suddenly Remus seemed lucky, he got to postpone this conversation for an hour. But Sirius didn’t think that James would let him go and shower for an hour. Maybe time could fast forward to tomorrow. He rather celebrate his birthday than have this line of questioning.

“What does your family think is normal, so you have been raise say it? Only to find out that it isn’t normal at all?” Sirius could feel his heart pounding again. Similar to how it did when he got his letter, and during his sorting, the hat was lying he defiantly wasn’t brave.

“While…” He started slowly, trying to piece together his thoughts. “You know that my family hates Muggles and Mudbloods.” As Sirius said the slur James looked like he wanted to end the conversation and hit Sirius with a pillow. Even with his heart pounding in his fingertips. He squeezed his fingers hard to make them stop feeling weird and continued. “I grew up being told that they are less than me, and should be killed and stuff. The kind of crap that Pureblood mania families always talk about. But the Mudbloods...” James’ face had started to soften as Sirius explained his family but as soon as Sirius said the slur again, James’ hitting face emerged again. “here, like Evans, are fine. So I don’t know what to think anymore.” Sirius ended awkwardly looking down at his feet. Expecting to get hit with James’ pillow.

“Don’t say, Mudblood Sirius.” James says a few seconds after Sirius finished, “But it isn’t your fault you were thought the wrong stuff. The swearing, the Hindi and the Spanish are fine. But sometimes we do learn the wrong things, like what your parents taught you. It’s okay though because we will teach you what is right.” James moved Sirius’ chin up so that they locked eyes and smiled at him, so did the other two boys. Then pushed Sirius off of the bed. “Go to bed now, you dingbat, we have classes in the morning.”

They all started to laugh at Sirius' face from the floor, including Sirius. While in bed that night Remus never felt any better, he felt like he had friends now even if he didn’t want any. But Sirius felt really scared. It was his birthday tomorrow and he had a bad feeling about it, much later Sirius finally fell into an uneasy sleep. Happy that he put up silencing spells as he woke up frightened from a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Verbal Abuse/Child Abuse, Self Harm  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

“SIRIUS ORION BLACK!” The howler screamed into the Great Hall, and Sirius wished he could disappear. “YOU ARE A FAILURE  TO THE ANCIENT AND NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK! HOW DARE YOU GET SORTED INTO GRYFFINDOR! YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO BE IN SLYTHERIN! YOU BREAK YOUR MOTHERS HEART! YOU AREN’T WORTH BEING PART OF THE HOUSE OF BLACK. AND YOU CERTAINLY AREN’T WORTH BEING OUR SON!  OUR HEIR! SOMETIMES YOUR MOTHER AND I WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN, OUR LIVES WOULD CERTAINLY BE BETTER WITHOUT YOU!” Silence breaks through the Great Hall.

Sirius couldn’t understand what his father said, how could his parents not want him. He knew that he wasn’t the best kid, and he knew that his parents would be upset when he got sorted into Gryffindor. But not wanting him to be part of their family is a whole another thing. He could feel his heart pounding, beating faster and faster every second, hearing it in his ears. His nails dug into this palms deeper and deeper, blood trickled and onto his palms. The howler burst into flames on top of his eggs. Erasing the letter but not it’s effect on Sirius. 

“Sirius… are you okay?” James didn’t know what to do and he didn’t know what happened, neither did any of the other boys. Conversations started again in the Great Hall, dismissing the events that happened.

“Yeah, I’m fine. We should head down to Potions, would want to be late.” Sirius muttered, he grabbed his stuff, his hands bloody and walked out of the room. 

“James, what happened?” Peter was confused, just like James. He knew of parents who didn’t like their kids, to the point where they abused them. But that wasn’t Sirius’ family, right? From what Peter knew Sirius was rich, he had everything he ever wanted. If you looked in his trunk then you could see expensive new goods, what everyone dreamed of. He couldn’t have had a bad childhood, his parents must be mad at his but they would start feeling better soon. “If they were so disappointed about his sorting, why didn’t they send the letter in September? It has been almost two months.”

“I don’t know, Peter.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be intruding.” Remus started to get up, heading to class. He knew what it was like to have a family that didn’t want him, he wasn’t going to tell anyone that though. Even if it wasn’t his life, he didn’t want to pry into others personal life when it wasn’t wanted. He had secrets too, like Sirius, and he wouldn’t want others to find out what they were. Sirius wouldn’t want them to pry either.  “I don’t want Sirius-”

“Shut up Remus.” James tugged him back down onto the bench. Being careful to not touch the bandaged hand. James didn’t know what caused the burns that he saw on the others hand, but he wouldn’t cause Remus any more pain. “You aren’t intruding on anything, You’re our friend. Now lets all head to potions together.”

In potions everything was normal, they had the class with the Slytherins. Slughorn praised Snape and Evans, and the potions made smelled awful. The rest of the day was also normal, but the boys knew that Sirius wasn’t acting normal. James and Peter noticed how he didn’t talk, just like the past few days, and how he didn’t each lunch. Instead of choosing to sit and stare at the empty bowl in front of him. Even Remus could tell, and he didn’t know the other boy that well. He saw the cuts on the palms that were caused by Sirius’ fingernails earlier at breakfast. And Sirius continued to squeeze his hands to make the wounds bleed. However they could see that Sirius was improving, and by dinner, Sirius was talking like normal. Making jokes and remarks about what happened in classes. Or what he overheard a Hufflepuff saying to her friends in the hallway before history of magic. 

By the time they were all back in the dorm changing into pajamas and prepping for their astronomy class at midnight. Sirius was back to his normal loud self. It didn’t fool the other boys completely but they didn’t beg him to talk about it. 

Peter still couldn’t believe that Sirius’ family truly didn’t like him. He continued to go by his earlier thoughts that Sirius’ parents were just mad and finally were able to express their anger. He didn’t think anything about it. Sure it must be hard to be told things like Sirius’ father said, but Sirius was acting fine now. If Sirius wanted to pretend like everything was fine then Peter could too.

James didn’t really know what to think still, he was still stuck in the events of the morning. The screaming insults from the howler mixed with the fear that was painted onto Sirius’ face. This must have been what Sirius was so afraid about every morning when he had that frightened look on his face. But it was nothing compared to the terror of today. James knew how harsh some parents could be, both muggle and pureblood parents. He heard the rumors of abuse in the other pureblood houses. It was a common thing to talk about in the gossip trade. He heard about it at huge fancy parties, or at a small tea gathering. How the purebloods beat their ideas into unwilling rebellious kids. But how could that be the case with Sirius, the boy was so loud and energetic. If the Blacks really did hurt Sirius. James couldn't think of the number of beatings that Sirius had to endure before pretending to be orderly. The boy wouldn’t even listen to James when he suggested putting on a coat when it was snowing outside. James wanted to ask these questions to Sirius, but he didn’t want to corner the other boy and strain their friendship. He just hoped that Sirius would trust him enough to come to him if it was bad enough. 

Remus knew what to think. He knew the hatred that some parents directed to their children, his father and him included. He knew how those thoughts could pull you down. Until you could believe them yourself, but he didn’t want that to be true about Sirius. Sure, he didn’t know Sirius that long. He never talked to him until yesterday, but how could his father say he was worthless. Remus didn’t know much about the Blacks. But how could they hate the idea of Gryffindor so much, that they thought their son was worthless. Sirius wasn’t worthless, and his parents shouldn’t be saying these things. His father could say that he was a monster, and Remus knew that this was true, but Sirius wasn’t worthless. Remus wanted to shout that the top of his lungs, until his lungs burned and his throat was as dry as the dessert. He didn’t though, because the other boys didn’t bring it up, and even if they didn’t he would jump into the conversation. He only become friends with Sirius yesterday, and if they were asking these questions to Remus, he wouldn’t like it either. 

Sirius also knew what to think, and he knew what to do. He knew not to talk about it, he knew to accept the words. To take the beating, that it would be worth it when he wasn’t dead tomorrow at his father’s hand. He knew what he needed to do. As his worthless hand helped the blood pour out of his arm onto the shower floor mixing with the water. His blood wouldn’t change anything, it was as worthless as he was. Sirius thought back to the last time his father called him worthless. It was over the summer, close to September and afterwords Reg pulled him into the younger brothers room. He told Sirius all of the reasons why he wasn’t worthless. And why it was bad to listen to their parents when they yelled this at Sirius. But Reg wasn’t here, and he didn’t send any letters, so he continued on in the shower. Happy when his friends didn’t say anything about the letter. And more grateful when they didn’t comment on the long sleeves even when it was warm in the dorm. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pre-Holiday Activities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Religion (throughout the chapter), Allergic Reaction/Anaphylactic Shock (fifth section), Child Abuse (fifth section), Mentions of self harm (fifth section), Scars (fifth section).  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

November passed easily for the boys. There were no more letters from Sirius’ parents and no more swearing incidents in classes. Mr. and Mrs. Potter didn’t send any more letters warning to James about Sirius. And Peter still didn’t have to step into the library again. For them, December was looking good, even if it was still early in the month.  Sirius was even feeling better. Mainly because of his new prank ideas that he had thrown himself into after his parent's howler.

“Come on, James, we should do something! How else are we going to get famous?” Sirius had been saying this for about a week now, their first prank had gone so well. So why not do another? If they did enough pranks without getting into trouble then they could be famous in the school.

“My good looks.” James mimicked flipping his hair over his shoulder, which didn’t do anything as his hair was shaved on the sides. Sirius across from him also mimicked the action, and it worked, as he started to grow out his hair. It wasn’t much, only a few centimeters below his ears, but it still gave him the feeling of being a rebel. If his parents didn’t want him to be their son, then he didn’t want to act like it. “Why do you want to do it anyways, we did one. So what? It doesn’t mean we have to do another.”

“We should do it, James! This time we have Remus, he’s smart which can make them better. We could make a habit out of this, on the big days we can pull one. It would be fun… and we could become famous.” Peter was starting to get behind Sirius on his idea. The Halloween prank was fun and it gave him a rush of energy.

“Wait!” Remus wasn’t paying attention to their conversation, as he was reading a book. The others pulled him out of the library for meals now. Which might have been good as chocolate wasn’t his only food source. But it also meant that he got less time to read and study. To make up for it he started to read in the Great Hall, James and Sirius didn’t mind at least he was sitting with them. And Peter had no idea why Remus would want to read so much. Remus had no idea what the three boys were talking about but now that Peter said his name. He was socially obligated to join the conversation. He closed the book and looked up at his roommates. “What am I doing?”

“We are talking about pranks.” He whispered to Remus after he leaned closer to Remus so his lips were almost touching Remus’ ear. “DUH!” Sirius yelled before moving away from Remus. The loud shout made others turn to look at the group of boys. Then look away once they learned that nothing important was going on. Sirius scanned the crowd of people who had turned to look at him and saw Dora. She smiled and went back to talking with her friends.

“Ouch Sirius.” Remus’ ear was ringing, and he didn’t know why he sat next to Sirius. He knew that it was because they both were left-handed. James told them that around the second week in September Sirius's elbow bumped into Jame’s. Making James spill his cup of hot tea into his lap. He then banned Sirius from sitting next to him, making him move to the other side of the table. Once Remus started to sit with them. Remus also hit James with his elbow, making James drop his spoon into his bowl and frighten an owl. The owl then spread feathers all over the Gryffindor table. The next morning Remus was sitting next to Sirius on the other side of the table.

“So Remus, will you help us?” James asked he was now excited to pull pranks. It would be fun to do it with all his friends.

“When did you want to do it, James?” Sirius said as he started to stand up, the other following in suit. The majority of the students hadn’t left the Great Hall yet. But the others had learned that Remus only walks fast when he’s trying to get away from swearing accidents in greenhouses. The rest of the time Remus walks very slow, making them have to leave for classes early. Only Remus knew that it was caused by his painful joints.

“When Remus said he was going to do it.”

“That’s funny James because I never said I was going to do anything.”

“Oh, Peter,” Sirius said dramatically, gaining him all the attention. “I’m so happy that everyone agreed to participate in my plan. It’s truly amazing that we have such good friends.”

Their conversation stopped as they walked into the Charms classroom. Not wanting Flitwick to overhear them and think that they were up to something. The usually left breakfast at the same time so they made it to Charms early. Flitwick always had to the door to the classroom open so they could sit down.

“We’ll finish this conversation later,” James whispered as he turned around to face Sirius and Remus.

 

* * *

 

By the end of the day, Peter couldn’t wait to hear what Sirius had to say about the pranks. They couldn’t talk about it during lunch. As Remus was doing work in the library the one time he as allowed in the library during meals by his friends. And they didn’t want to talk about it with him.

“Come on, Sirius, you have to tell us now!” Peter said energetically, once the boys had gotten back to their dorm. He was sitting with Sirius on Sirius’ bed, while James and Remus were sitting on Jame’s.

“Well, I was thinking that we could pull a prank.” Sirius started.

“Yeah, we get this.” James cut in and waved for Sirius to speak faster, he couldn’t wait to hear what Sirius was planning. He might not have wanted to pull the prank this morning but he wanted to now.

“James, let me talk.” James could swear that Sirius just channeled his mother. She said that so many times when he interrupted when she was speaking. “So I thought that we could use the floating spell and we can make thing hit people.” The other boys looked at him with to continue so he did. They wanted to hear what Sirius had to say.  They always did even if they were annoyed at him, something that his parents never did. “But not to hurt them, the objects are charmed to not hurt them.”

“That.” Remus said, “Is actually a good idea. Especially if certain people were followed by the object for a while.” It was nice to feel part of a group. He never pulled a prank before, there wasn’t anyone to pull one on. Maybe his mother, but she was already stressed he didn’t need to bother her. His father would never let him pull a prank on him, if he did then he would get into so much trouble. As long as no one was getting hurt then it would only be a joke, a funny little prank, which Remus thought was okay.

“Remus is right, that's a pretty good idea Sirius. We need to find the spells.” Jame said, slapping his hands down onto Remus’ bed. “What do you think Peter?”

“It’s a good idea. But what objects are you going to charm? And who are you going to make them fly at?”

“We can figure that out later.” Sirius said he didn’t know who it was going to be, they could figure that out later. He leaned back so his head and upper body was hanging off the side of his bed. “So what did you think about that quiz in Defense?”

 

* * *

 

“So Sirius, what are you doing to break?” James asked, there was still about two weeks until the break. They were still planning the details of the prank and wanted to perform it before the break. Which Sirius hadn’t mentioned what he was doing. None of them had. He turned so that he was facing both Peter and Remus “Wait, what you are guys doing for the break?”

“I’m going to Spain,” Peter said with pride in his voice. “Usually my mother and I don’t fly there. If we were to go we would apparate, but my mum thought it would be fun to go by aeroplane. My cousins always come to our house because it is bigger, but my mother says that we need to go this time. My grandmother is still sick so she can’t get onto an aeroplane.”

“What’s an aeroplane?” Sirius asked, what the hell was an aeroplane?

“Oh, it’s a Muggle invention that allows you go up in the air and you can get to a place fast. You can also travel overseas without going on a boat.” Remus didn’t know that much about planes, he has read about them before. But he never has been in one before or seen one up close, only when they flew over his house.

“How does it work?”

“How is he supposed to know?” James didn’t know about how these aeroplane work, but he doubted that Remus would know either. It wasn’t like Remus was some old person. “What are you doing over break Remus?”

“Nothing. I’ll probably be with my mum.” That was a lie, there was a full moon on Christmas this year, something that hasn’t happened in many years. It wasn’t that bad though, they didn’t have any family that came to visit them. Remus father’s parents passed away when his father was an only child. His mum didn’t really talk with her family, Remus didn’t know why and he wasn’t allowed to ask. It was only brought up a few times that Remus could remember. Once when he asked about his grandparents when he was about seven. And the second time when he heard his parents arguing and his father said that his mum couldn’t see her parents or her sister again. “What about you James?”

“I’m not doing anything either, I’ll spend time with my parents. In the past, we went to India a few times in the winter, but we are going during the summer this year. Sirius?”

“Nothing. I think that I’m staying here. My parents haven’t said anything about me going home yet.” Sirius hadn’t gotten another owl since the last on his twelve birthday, and he was kinda glad about it. It was a bad thing, but he hoped that they wouldn’t send an owl requesting him to come back home. He was talking with Alice and her friends last week in the common room, they had been introduced by Peter who met Alice on the train. And she said that staying at Hogwarts for the break was truly magical. They decorate the Great Hall and the hallways for Christmas with huge pine trees. She also said that everyone should stay during the break once during their time at Hogwarts. This could be his year for staying at Hogwarts, at least until his parents calm down.

“Do wizards celebrate Christmas?” Peter asked, his mum did and she was a witch, but she was also raised Catholic. So Christmas is important to her, even if she doesn’t celebrate other Catholic holidays.

“Some do, some celebrate Yule, and others don’t celebrate any version. Either because they are Muggle holidays or because they are different religions.” James said the ministry Christmas parties were only Christmas in name. Not all the attendees celebrated the holiday. Most only came for their families appearances or for free alcohol.

“Do you guys celebrate Christmas?”

“I don’t,” Sirius replied. “We don’t celebrate Yule either. As James said, my family doesn’t believe in celebrating Muggle holidays.”

“I don’t either. My family is Muslim, so we have other holidays to celebrate. We’re not fully devout though. My parents pray but I don’t. We only celebrate the big holidays, like Ramadan. What about you Remus? What does your family do?”

“While my father doesn’t celebrate anything. He's similar to Sirius’ parents in that he doesn’t believe in celebrating Muggle holidays. My mum and I are Jewish though, so we are celebrating Hanukkah. The first day is on the thirteenth.” Today was the eleventh, so it's starting tomorrow at sundown. But the first full day is on the thirteenth.

“If you don’t celebrate Christmas, then you should stay here with Sirius!” Peter exclaimed, but it was too loud in the Great Hall for anyone to notice. Most of the students were excited about the break.

“I can’t. I miss my mum, so I want to go see her.” Remus lied, it wasn’t a true lie like before. Peter thought that it was kind of weird that Remus missed his mother so much, he goes to see her every month. But then again if Remus’ mother was so sick then Peter understood, he would miss his mother too if she was sick. He turned his head to face Sirius instead of Peter, “I’m sorry Sirius, it must suck to stay here by yourself.” The other boys seemed to chuckle when Remus half-swore if you could even count suck as a swear word. But the teachers did.

“It’s okay.” Sirius was looking forward to spending the break at Hogwarts. It was better than being at his house, where he was bound to be punished even if his parents didn’t want him to be their son. And if the castle was as decorated as Alice said then it should be fun. “I don’t even know if I’m staying yet, my parents haven’t sent me a letter.”

 

James was happy that Sirius was going to stay at Hogwarts, rather by himself or with others. There was bound to be other Gryffindors who didn’t or couldn't go home. And if Sirius’ parents were that mad about Sirius’ sorting in November they probably still be mad during the break.

“Don’t worry Sirius. If you stay then I’ll give you the cloak so you can go exploring.”

 

* * *

 

“Oh, Remus these are so good.” It was the fifteenth, and Peter was loving Remus’ Hanukkah celebrations. They were in their dorm eating fried jelly doughnuts after Remus lit his menorah. They were all enjoying learning about Remus’ traditions, predominantly Sirius. His parents never talked about Muggle’s, let alone their religions. Until meeting, James Sirius thought that the only religion was Christianity. Which he knew about from the Ministry Christmas parties. James said that he could learn about Islam later next year during Ramadan.

“Thanks, I guess, it’s not like I made them. I took them from the table during dinner.” Remus loved these doughnuts, but they weren’t as good as his mum’s, she makes the best jelly doughnuts and latkes. He was happy to show his friends his traditions. It made him feel normal for once like he was just another person instead of a monster.

“Oh, while they’re still good.” Peter wondered what other foods that Remus ate during Hanukkah. It was about seven at night and they had gotten back from dinner about an hour ago. Remus had lit a candle on the menorah before going to dinner, a little bit before four after sunset. Now they were sitting on the floor in the dorms, messing around and eating jelly doughnuts. Normally Remus would be studying. But he explained how after lighting the menorah he wasn’t supposed to do homework and such. Instead, it was time to spend with family and friends, playing games like Dreidel.

There was a scratching on the windows, which they thought was weird. Most letters come in the morning, not after sunset. Still, James, who was sitting closest to a window opened the glass and an owl flew over to Sirius. Who grabbed it and moved his hand away before the owl could scratch him, the family owl never liked him.

Sirius was worried about the letter. Why would his parents send him a letter so late at night? All the boys could see it on his face, the scarred expression that was the exact same when he got the howler. He got up and put threw it onto his bed, then dropped to sit on the ground again. His hair flying up and getting messed up in the process.

“At least it's not a howler,” Sirius said dimly before grabbing another doughnut. Showing it to Remus, to make sure that it wasn’t peach. Sirius didn’t know how but Remus was able to tell if it was peach just by smelling it, the smell wasn’t even strong. He didn’t care how Remus did it, but it was helpful anyways seeing how Sirius was allergic to peaches. The only reason that flavor was on the plate was that it was Remus’ favorite flavor of sufganiyah. Remus nodded and Sirius shoved it into his mouth, Peter didn’t know how Sirius ate so much but still was so skinny.

“You’re not going to open it?” James asked it must be important if Sirius’ parents were sending it this late at night.

“I’ll do it later. Right now I have things to do.”

“Like what?”

“While James, right now I’m scheduled to eat five more of these.” Sirius gesticulated over to the pile of doughnuts. “Not the pesky peach ones though, those amazing grape ones. And maybe some of these strawberry ones. Oh then at eight, I’m scheduled to eat some latkes, but not those cheesy ones. Remus tells me that through horrible experiences that those are the worst flavor.” Sirius paused waiting for Remus to agree, seconds passed before Remus finally said yes. “But I tend not to eat things that will make me sick." Sirius wasn't allergic to cheese, but he was lactose intolerant as Peter called it once he explained why he didn't drink milk. Then I’ll wait until before I go to bed to read the letter.”

“What if it’s important?” Peter asked, he always opened his mail right when he got it. If it wasn’t important then he would wait to reply, if it was then he would do it quickly.

“Peter is right Sirius. Who would send the letter now, unless it was important.”

“Fine, James.” Sirius stood up and wiped his hands on his jeans. He automatically changed out of his school uniform right when they got to the dorms. Only putting it back on to go to dinner. “I’ll open it right now, I’ll even read it to you to show you it wasn’t important at all.” Sirius grabbed it from his bed and flopped down onto the ground again. This time putting his head on Remus’ leg and his legs on James’ lap. He pulled the letter out of the envelope and started to read.

“ _Sirius, you’ll be coming home for the break. Make sure to not bring back any of that dreaded Muggle stuff. Your cousin Narcissa said that Potter and those Half-bloods in Gryffindor gave you some. And cut your hair. We don’t want to see you looking like a low-class Muggle. Narcissa also said that you are starting to look like a girl. Mr. and Mrs. Black._ That’s it, see it wasn’t important at all.” For all his promising that it wasn’t important, it did hurt that his parents ended the letter so formally.

“What’s on the back?” Peter pointed to the back of the parchment where ink marks were. He was the only one who could see them as the other three weren’t facing the back of the paper.

Sirius flipped it over, his hands tingling, he looked at the writing. _Hey Sirius! I’m sorry I couldn’t send you a letter, mother and father wouldn’t let me. I stole their letter from Kreacher and ordered him not to tell them. I miss you and I’ll see you soon. Love Reg._ Around the writing was animated snowflakes falling. Reg must have had Kreacher do it or have done it with accidental magic. The words looked like they were moving as well, but Sirius must have been seeing things.

“Oh that's Reg, he said that he’ll see me later at home,” Sirius said with a scratchy and breathless voice.

“Whose Reg?” Remus asked while combing Sirius hair out of the others red face. Sirius didn’t answer. He started to feel sick like he did when he was younger, his face felt hot and his hands itchy.

“His brother, I think he is two years younger than Sirius.” James looked down at Sirius. “Are you alright?” Remus stopped his combing motion and looked down at Sirius and Peter look at Sirius as well.

“Guys!” Peter jumped up. Sirius looked like his cousin did when she ate the brownies his mum made one Christmas. His cousin accidentally ate the pan that had peanuts in them instead of the ones without the peanuts. His uncle needed to drive her to the hospital in the snowy weather so that she could be treated. “I think he is having an allergic reaction!” James and Remus got up too, they were starting to panic.

“What do we do?” James exclaimed it was amazing that no one in the hallway heard him. James had no idea what an allergic reaction looked like. He knew that Sirius was allergic to peaches and other foods. He knew that it was common in Pureblood families to have certain types of allergies, like the Blacks and peaches. Sirius said that he was allergic to peaches and so was his brother, two of his cousins, his father, and his aunt. Even though he was a Pureblood and his mum was allergic to some seeds, mainly sesame seeds and nutmeg. James never saw an allergic reaction before. His mum never ate nutmeg, because it was haram, and she never sesame seeds to prevent a reaction.

“We need to get him to the matron.” Peter grabbed one of Sirius' arms, struggling to lift Sirius whole body. For someone so skinny he weighed a lot. Remus grabbed his other arm, and James moved to carry Sirius right side instead of Peter. Who ran to open up the dorm door. They struggled walking down the stairs and entered the common room. Unfortunately, no one was there. It was still dinner time, and most of the Gryffindors stayed in the Great Hall for the whole time.  Peter opened the common room door into the fifth-floor hallway, just like in the common room, no one was around.

“You guys need to go get a teacher.” Remus rushed saying, “I’ll take him to the matron.” James and Peter looked shocked that Remus knew where the hospital wing was. Neither of them knew that Remus was every there before as nothing happened during class.

Remus laid Sirius on the ground, he didn’t know what to do to help Sirius. Remus never saw an allergic reaction before and he hoped that it was the last time he did.

“ _Wingardium Leviosa!_ ” Remus was glad that they were practicing that spell for their prank. Sure they learned it in Charms but he wasn’t that good at it in the class, now he could do it to lift Sirius. He almost ran up the stairs to the hospital wing. Sirius floating behind him, the letter clenched in his hands. The door was thrown open, being charmed to open whenever a person was within two meters of it. Madam Pomfrey was already in the room tending to another student. Remus didn’t know who it was but James was going on about Gryffindor Quidditch practice. So Remus thought that it may have been one of the members.

“Remus, what happened?” She exclaimed, Remus, floated Sirius over to the bed and placed him on it.

“I don’t know. He got a letter from his parents, and then he started to get sick. Peter said that it was an allergic reaction.” Remus hoped that she could help him, as Madam Pomfrey caught something that flew into her hand. It was a needle, and she tapped it a few times then she shoved down Sirius pants. “What are you doing?” His voice was so quiet that when Madam Pomfrey didn’t answer he thought that she didn’t hear him. She jabbed the needle into Sirius’ outer thigh. Remus looked down at Sirius’, there were scars up and down the skin. Some came around from the back of his legs and looked like they were caused by a belt. But some of them weren’t from a belt, they were in neat rows towards the inside of the thigh. Remus thought that he knew that they were, but didn’t want to believe it. Sirius always seemed so happy.

The door swung open again, and in ran James, Peter a little bit behind him. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Hudson followed behind them. Madam Pomfrey quickly covered Sirius' lower body in a blanket, as she and Remus turned to look at the newcomers.

“Is he going to be okay?” James almost yelled panting next to the bed. Peter and him had ran all the way to McGonagall's classroom, and into her office. She wasn’t there, so they ran to the Great Hall, getting McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Hudson. The professors showed them the way to the hospital wing. Once the door opened they were running over to their friends. Peter was surprised that he wasn’t having an asthma attack right now. But he pushed that thought out of his head and tried to focus on his breathing and Sirius.

“Hush, Messrs…” Madam Pomfrey started, slowing down when she waited for them to give their names.

“James Potter.”

“Peter Pettigrew.”

“Messrs Potter and Pettigrew, your friend will be fine.”

“His name is Sirius Black.” Remus cut in.

“Thank you, Remus.” She continued. “Your friend Mr. Black will be fine, it seemed that he had an allergic reaction and went into anaphylactic shock. I gave him adrenaline, he will be fine by tomorrow.” Neither Remus or James asked what adrenaline was. But Peter recognized the name from when his cousin had to go to the hospital during her allergy attack. “Remus mentioned that Mr. Black got a letter before this happened?”

“Yeah.” Remus took the letter out of his pocket and handed it to her, she then handed it to Hudson. He performed a spell on it, that none of the boys knew.

“This isn’t cursed.” He held the paper up to his nose to sniff it, then started to speak again. “But it smells of peach oil.”

“Sirius is allergic to peaches!” Peter exclaimed and Pomfrey hushed him. Remus couldn’t believe that he didn’t smell the peaches. Maybe it was because of it being an oil. His monster abilities were good for one thing, and even that failed him.

“How do you know that?” McGonagall asked.

“He told us!”

“I know that Mr. Pettigrew. I was talking to Professor Hudson, how does he know that it is peach oil?”

“Oh, that's easy. Icarus loves this stuff, our house smells of this stuff. He grew up planting peaches in Georgia, apparently, the peach oil reminds him of his family. I don’t think that it smells like peaches, but whatever he likes.”

“His parents send him that letter.” James couldn’t believe it. Why would they want to hurt their son?

“What about Reg?” Remus was suddenly worried about Sirius’ brother, He was also allergic to peaches, what if he got sick too?

“We can’t help that Mr. Potter,” Dumbledore said. “We have no way of proving that his parents put the oil on the letter, or if got on it some way else. Now Mr. Lupin who is this Reg?”

“It’s Sirius brother, he is allergic to peaches too. Look at the back of the parchment it says that he stole the letter and wrote on it before his house elf could send it.”

“How do you know that?” Peter was confused now, Sirius never actually read them that part of the letter, how did Remus know what it said?

“I read it over his shoulder, I was sitting right next to him remember.”

A mumbling came from the bed, they all looked over at Sirius to see his eyes open. His cheeks were less red and puffy. Sirius had no idea how he didn’t realize he was having an allergic reaction. He had ones before. How didn’t he know that he was having an allergic reaction?

“What happened?” He mumbled again. If only his parents could see him now, long hair in his face and mumbling his words. No wonder his cousin complained to his parents.

“You had an allergic reaction, there was peach oil on the letter you received. I had to give you some adrenaline to end the anaphylactic shock. Have you had an attack before?”

“Yeah.”

“Sirius, what about Reg?” James asked. “He touched the letter to remember?”

“He will be fine.”

“Are you sure?” James didn’t know Reg. But Sirius seemed to love him and James didn’t want to see Sirius sad.

“Yeah Lus will be fine, he isn’t as allergic as I am. He needs to eat peaches to have a reaction. I don’t.”

“How do you know that?”

“Mr. Potter.” Pomfrey cut in “You need to let him rest. For your knowledge, some parents let their children eat or be injected with their allergen. So they can know how severe their allergy is. Only under medical supervision, they do this at Saint Mungos. Now everyone out, you all have classes tomorrow.”

All three of them were happy that Sirius was okay so they said goodbye to Sirius and started to walk away.

“Wait.” Sirius grabbed onto Remus’ arm. “Can you stay?” He said quietly, he didn’t want to ask, but yet he didn’t want to be alone in the hospital wing. He remembered some things that happened during his attack. One of which was that the matron liked Remus. It would be better to have someone that she liked to stay with him, rather than James who was yelling. And he really didn’t want to be alone. “Please.”

“Yeah.” Remus grabbed a chair and sat in it, his hand still clasping Sirius’ both of them fell asleep within minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing. There are many mentions of religion, so please inform me if I got anything wrong. 
> 
> I don't know how many people are reading this right now (as of June 2019), but I wanted to know if anyone wants to have a Year Two story. I wrote this during NaNoWriMo, and July is Camp NaNoWriMo and I may plan on writing during that event. So I was wondering if anyone wanted me to write the next year. Your input would be amazing, so if anyone is there please help me decide.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winter break!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of Nightmares (first section), Mentions of Self Harm (first section), Comments about Death (first section), Child Abuse (second section and sixth section), Homophobia (sixth section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

“Hurry up! Hurry up!” There was a pounding on the door and Vin was once again shouting through the door. “We need proof of life, you guys are going to be late!”

“Peter get the door!” James mumbled it was too early for this.

“Come on you guys!” Another voice called. Peter recognized it was Dan, another perfect, more pounding on the door. “I bet that you aren’t even awake!”

“Peter get the door,” James mumbled again.   

“You guys have like thirty minutes before you need to leave for Hogsmeade!” Vic called again while pounding.

“FUCKING SHIT!” Remus jumped out of bed, running over the clock to read it, six thirty. He had no idea why his alarm didn’t ring. “Get up! You guys need to get up! We are going to be late!” Remus pulled open the door when someone started to knock again.

“Good job, sleepy gus!” Vic teased. Remus didn’t know how he could be so happy but then again it must be fun seeing people freak out about being late. “You better get your friends up if they are leaving too.”

“Whatever.” Remus slammed the door in their face and started to throw the rest of his stuff into his case. “You guys need to get up!”

“Stop yelling!” James said louder this time, finally pulling back his curtains and rubbing his eyes. He hated getting up this early, he never woke up this early, and he didn’t want to.

“You are yelling too!”

“What’s going on?” Sirius yelled while running out of his bed curtains. His silencing spell dimmed the sounds from the room but didn’t cancel them all out. When the yelling had gotten so loud that it woke him up, at first he thought that he was back at his house. Ever since that night in the hospital wing, he had been getting worsening nightmares. He heard Remus yelling again, and then James yelling back, and Sirius just had to join in as he didn’t know what was going on.

“Shut up,” Peter mumbled into his pillow.

“It’s six thirty. We are going to be late for the train!” Remus ran into the bathroom and closed a stall door and started to change.

“He’s right!” James jumped out of his bed and started to change right there. Throwing his pajama’s onto his bed and messily putting on the clothes he would wear. Which wasn’t abnormal for James who woke up late most days. “Peter you need to get up.”

“Ugh!”

“I know Peter!” Sirius called over to him, he started to gather clothes from the ground and ran into the bathroom to change.

“Ugh, I still have to pack!” Peter then spring himself out of his bed. “Oh my god, I still need to pack!” Peter started to open his bag and took out all the school supplies, and throw in owl order gifts he got for his family. He took another bag from his trunk and put in some clothes that were clean. Once he was done with that he started to change into Muggle clothes. Deciding that he couldn’t wait for Sirius or Remus to leave the bathroom.

Sirius flew into the room and rummaged through his trunk.

“What are you looking for?” James asked, he finished packing yesterday and was dressed and holding his suitcase. He didn’t want to bring his trunk home so he asked his mother to send his suitcase to the school. Sirius didn’t answer him as he kept looking through his trunk.

“Finally!” Sirius held up his potions knife. “I need you to cut my hair!”

“Now?” Remus called out from the bathroom, before running to stuff his dirty clothes into his bag.

“Yes now!”

“Why?” James asked. Why did Sirius need his hair cut now of all times?

“I forgot!”

“You forgot?”

“Yeah James. That happens when you can’t breathe and pass out!” Sirius grabbed James and Remus on his way into the bathroom and held the knife out to them. “Now cut my hair!”

“I’ll do it.” Remus grabbed the knife. He had cut his mother’ hear with scissors but never with a knife. Luckily the blade was sharp so it was easy. For a second Remus thought of the scars on Sirius’ thighs and didn’t want to know where the blade had cut before.

“You guys we need to go! We have ten minutes before we need to be there.” Peter called out from where he was stuffing the extra food that they had in their room into a bag. It would go bad over the break and they wouldn’t make it to breakfast in time.

“Okay!” Remus handed the knife back to Sirius, and they all hurried back into the room. Sirius locked his trunk and looked around the room, finding nothing that he needed. He grabbed one of Peter’s bags and opened the door.

“Come on!” The others grabbed their bags and ran out of the dorm, Sirius behind them. They ran into the common room, not looking to see if there was anyone left. And hurried to the carriages on the edge of the courtyard that would take them to Hogsmeade station.

“Merlin, boys why are you rushing?” McGonagall asked the panting boys and got into the carriage as well.

“Vic said that we needed to be at the train by seven,” Remus informed her.

“No. You needed to be here by seven.” She looked down at her watch and continued. “And it is now six fifty-eight, so you aren’t late.”

“Professor, what are these animals?” Sirius asked, looking down at the skeleton horses. James looked down to see two horse attached to the front of the carriage. While Remus and Peter couldn’t see anything.

“Sirius,” Peter said before McGonagall could reply. “I think the peaches messed with your brain. There is nothing there.”

“Mr. Pettigrew, you are wrong. There is something there but many people can’t see them. Mr. Black they are called thestrals and they pull the carriages.”

“Professor, why can Sirius see them, but I can’t?” Peter understood that magic was a weird thing, after living in a magic castle for four months how could he not. But having something be invisible to one person but not someone else is another level of weirdness.

“People who have seen death and have come to understand it can see them. Those who haven’t seen death or who haven’t come to terms with it, can’t. In the third year, you can take care of magical creatures to learn more about them.”

“Oh, that sounds cool.” Peter was going to take that class in the third year. It must have been the class that James was talking about earlier in the year.

The rest of the bumpy ride to the train station was quiet, it didn’t take very long. Some students were walking through the snow and the muddy ground. But most were riding on the last few carriages that left Hogwarts. Sirius couldn’t believe that he even mentioned the thestral. His family had a huge library why couldn’t he just go and look them up, why did he have to ask  McGonagall. Now the others might ask questions about who died and he didn’t want to answer these questions. He didn’t want them to not be their friends when they find out the answer. James didn’t mind the thestral, they weren’t pretty but they weren’t ugly either. Their wings kind of looked like raven wings which James thought was ironic, seeing how ravens were a symbol of death. Unlike Sirius, James wouldn’t mind if his friends asked who died, but he wouldn’t go sharing it around. Remus was glad that he didn’t see the thestral, he knew that he was locked up on full moons but it was still reliving. But would he even be able to see them if he did kill a person when he was turned? Peter was sad that when his grandmother died, then he would be able to see the thestral. It would be sad to remember her every time he sees them.

“Have a good break,”  McGonagall said to the boys after she got off of the carriage at the station.

“Thank you, professor,” Remus replied, he turned back to his friends and grabbed his stuff, walking to the train. It took a while to find an empty compartment, as they arrived later than most of the students. They set up a game of snap and started to eat the doughnuts that Peter grabbed before they left the dorm. Sirius once again having Remus smell them to make sure they weren’t peach.

“Are you guys excited for the break? I can’t wait to see my family.” Peter commented after one of his cards blew up. He was anticipating the flight from London to Málaga, and couldn't wait to tell his friends all about it. “And flying on an aeroplane, that’s going to be so cool.”

“Yeah!” James answered, even if he wasn’t doing a lot, he could still be happy about seeing his family.  “I can’t wait to tell my dad about yesterdays prank. Maybe he’ll give us some ideas.”

They had finally set up the prank yesterday and it had worked perfectly. They had given Sirius the ability to chose who they would prank and the objects that would be charmed. A while History of Magic class and a lunch block later, Sirius wanted to prank the Ravenclaws. Because only they would find History of Magic class interesting. Sirius also picked the objects to be books, because once again only Ravenclaws would find them interesting. And Remus, he would find them interesting too. Remus had found the charms in the library during lunch. The incantation for the charm to not harm the Ravenclaws was _leniter tangere_ . Which searching for the spell Remus found another charm that would allow the books to chant a word. When Remus told Sirius about this charm, he said that the books should chant the word ‘nerds’. The incantation was _cantus nerds_. James didn’t know how Remus was able to find all these random spells. It must have been some magical ability to sit down something that James didn’t have. The prank ended up working perfectly. And if some books hit other students that weren’t in Ravenclaw, then so what. It wasn’t their fault that the students were so close together.

“That’s a good idea, James,” Sirius said half out of it, he mind was elsewhere. What was going to happen when he got home? His parents still must have angry at him to put the oil on the letter. What if the oil gets onto something else and Sirius couldn’t get help? He felt gratitude towards Madam Pomfrey who gave him extra needles with adrenaline that he could use if he had another reaction.

They continued to eat and play, after an hour Remus grab a book and read. About thirty minutes later Sirius fell asleep, head on Remus’ lap. Then Remus fell asleep, leaving Peter and James awake who were now playing wizard’s chess. James’ parents have given him a pocket-sized set which would expand and compact with just a few taps. It didn’t require any magic so James could use it anywhere anytime. So far he had been teaching Peter and Remus during History of Magic classes.

Hours later the train started to enter London. James woke up the other two by yelling like Remus did that morning. They said goodbye in the compartment as the platform was loud, full of families and students trying to find each other.

“I’ll see you later, Sirius.” James wanted to hug the other boy, but he didn’t. “Make sure to write to me, and come to my house if you need to. It’s ‘Potter Mansion’ in the floo.” He didn’t know what was going on at Sirius’ house. But if the other boy needed some place to go he was always welcomed at James’ house, even if his parents didn’t like Sirius.

“Have fun in Spain!” Remus called to Peter as they walked in opposite directions. Remus was walking towards to wall to enter the Muggle train station where his train home was. While Peter already saw his mother in the crowd.

 

* * *

 

Sirius walked as slow as he could over to his parents, his left hand grabbing the bag of needles in his pocket. A smile grew on his face when he saw Reg standing in between his parents, once he got to them he ruffled Reg’s hair a little. His father then grabbed his arm, hard enough to leave a bruise. And then he felt like he was being stuffed into a tube and his stomach felt sick. Seconds later the feelings stopped and the platform was replaced with the entrance way to Grimmauld place.

“You” His father pointed his finger at Sirius “put your bag in your room. Then don’t leave, we need to figure out what to do with you.” His father said, hardly swatting Sirius on his bum hard and quickly followed Reg up the stairs. Both boys were quiet until they got into Sirius’ room.

“Sirius.” Reg jumped onto Sirius bed, making the blankets on the untouched bed wrinkle underneath him. “Tell me all about Hogwarts. Please!” Sirius felt a smile appear on his face. It was worth facing his parents if he was able to spend time with his brother.

 

* * *

 

Peter saw his mum at the far end of the platform. And struggled to get to her as there were so many people packed into the station. But finally, he got to her.

“Peter!” His mum wrapped her arms around him before he was able to put his stuff down.

“Hey, mum.” He whispered into her shoulder, it had been hard to not see her during the winter season. They always did fun things over the winter. Like sledding, picking out a Christmas tree, drinking hot chocolate and going to church. They would also be mourning the loss of his father, even if they didn’t talk about it anymore. It was weird how a person could be so happy but sad at the same time. Soon his mother let go, he placed his bags on the ground and hugged her properly. “How are you?”

“I’m great Peter. I’m better than great. I have you here and soon we’re going to be with family. It’s so exciting to be able to visit Spain. Are you excited too?”

“Yeah.” His mum once again pulled away. He swung his bag around his shoulder and pick up his case in one hand. Then grabbed his mothers’ arm, she apariated them to an ally outside of the airport.

“Here it is Peter. Heathrow Airport isn’t it amazing.” He looked around in awe, a plane was taking off and Muggle cars were driving all around them. Muggles were truly smart. Peter forced himself to remember all the information as they walked into the building. He wanted to tell his friends all of this once they got back to Hogwarts.

 

* * *

 

It took a while to get over to get onto the Muggle platform. There were guards controlling how many people went out to the platform at a time, to prevent the Muggles from noticing. Remus finally made it through, he looked up at the clock to see that it was six. He had two hours before his train would leave for Wales. His mother could pick him at the Welsh station and drive him home.

He made his way to the food court and bought some food with the Muggle money that his mum had sent along with his train ticket. As he ate, it was almost silent, there weren’t many people anymore and most already caught their trains. Remus couldn’t wait until he got home, and was able to go to bed. More importantly, he couldn’t wait until he was able to go back to Hogwarts. He didn’t know why he didn’t stay at Hogwarts. No one would be in the dorm to question where he went and he still would have been able to transform in the Shack.

 

* * *

 

As James got onto the platform he started to look for the neon pink colored hijab his mother said that she was going to wear. He soon spotted it and ran over to this parents. Almost throwing himself against them and hugging them tightly.

“Hi, James!” His mother cried out, she pulled away and put James at an arm's length distance. “Look, Mont, he has gotten so grown up!” Her voice cracked, and James saw some tears run down her face.

“Mum! Why are you always crying?” James said then grabbed his fathers’ hand, his bag in another.

“Don’t be mean to your mother James.” His father said, then squeezed James’ hand. His father always did this when he was going to apparate. The gripping sensation of apparating took place, then they landed in the living room of James house.

“Go put your stuff in your room.” His mum said while walking up to the large fireplace to hang her scarf up. That was one of the things that James loved about his house, it always felt homey no matter how big it was. He thought that one of the reasons was that there were scarves in every room, no matter what room it was. There were probably scarves in James’ bedroom even though he hadn’t slept in there for months. “Then come back down we can eat dinner.”

 

* * *

 

It was the twenty-fifth of December and Sirius was having one of the worst days this week. His parents had chosen to punish him by making him stay in his room, which was okay with Sirius. He didn’t even have to leave to use the bathroom as there was one attached to his room. But he got very little food, which wasn’t okay with Sirius. He was used to eating three times a day every day for four months, which now didn’t seem like that good of an idea. This was a normal punishment for his parent. They said that it thought him better than any physical punishment because it could go on for a long time. Sure he could sneak food, either from Reg giving to him. Or ordering Kreacher to get some and not tell his parents. Once he even tried to hide some in the floorboards and eat it when he was being punished. But it never worked, he always got caught somehow and get punished. Now he was forced to sit with his family for a holiday dinner. They always had these family meals, even without celebrating Christmas. And every time it was always awful. It wasn’t even a dinner, more like a midnight meal as it was going onto eleven at night.

“Sirius, can you pass the butter?” Bella said, she graduated Hogwarts last year and to Sirius’ knowledge wasn’t working. She was still dating a Lestrange and he wouldn’t be surprised if they got married, even if they were cousins. He gave Reg the butter who then passed it around the table to her.

“Sirius.” His father called from the head of the table.

“Yes, father.”

“Eat your dinner.” Sirius’ father made it sound like he was five and didn’t want to eat the vegetables. It was true that he wasn’t eating his food, but that was because Kreacher made it, and he didn’t eat any food that Kreacher made him ever since Wednesday.

Kreacher had brought him his dinner, which was the only meal that Sirius was allowed to eat. Sirius couldn’t remember what the elf said word by word, he was to busy trying not to cry out in pain. His father had punished him a few hours ago and his back was still in so much pain. But Sirius remembered the most important thing, it was Kreacher who put the peach oil on the letter. He overheard Sirius’ mother had said something about Sirius not being worthy to be a Black. After Reg had given back the letter, he bathed the letter in the oil, hoping to kill Sirius. Just like Professor Dumbledore said, the ministry wouldn’t be able to prove anything.

Sirius was getting stared down by his father, so he started to pick up his fork, taking his first bite of food in days. It was good, and it didn’t taste like peaches which was even better. It was stupid to think that Kreacher would put peaches in the food. It was a communal table where people served themselves. For the food to be poisoned Kreacher would need to poison the while table. Which would cause other people like his father and his brother to be sick. Kreacher would never do that, so Sirius kept eating.

“Druella, have you heard that awful news about the new Defense professor?” Sirius’ mother said, trying to fill the lull in the conversation. His parents always did this. To make a good conversation they would need to talk about things that they don’t agree on. So far tonight there had been a conversation on Muggles, Muggleborns, this new squib working at the ministry, squibs, and now Hudson. Sirius felt Reg kick his leg, look over Reg started to mouth words, Sirius wasn’t very good at lip-reading. No one really was, as it’s a hard skill to pick up. But it was easy to see what Reg was talking about as he had a very confused look on his face. He probably wanted to know what was wrong with the professor. Sirius shook his head slightly and hoped that Reg understood that Sirius had no idea what was wrong with the professor.

“Yes, Narcissa informed me of it at the start of term, it is dreadful.” His aunt replied, nodding her head at Cissy who was sitting a few seats down.

“I agree. First, they have Defense Against the Dark Arts, teaching the students that the Dark Arts is bad. The American ethnicity isn’t that bad. There had been quite a lot of good American wizards from Ilvermorny. But from all the professors they pick the homosexual.” Oh, that's what was wrong with him. Sirius didn’t think that it was a bad thing, Hudson was an amazing teacher. Then again Sirius didn’t have any other Defense teachers to compare him to. His boyfriend sounded like a good person too. After all, it helped Hudson to realize that the letter had peach oil on it. Sirius thought back to November when he learned his parents were wrong about Muggleborns. This must be another thing that they were wrong about.

“Walburga, you mustn’t say such things around your children, they are still young.” Sirius uncle replied. He didn’t seem to understand that Sirius was twelve and that Hudson had been teaching him for four months so far.

“No, no, Cygnus I agree with my wife.” His father said. “They must learn about these evil actions. Sirius, Regulus do you know what a homosexual is?” Reg shook his head and Sirius didn’t move, he didn’t want to get into more trouble. “While they are these evil people. Men who dare to love men. It is disgusting, it ends the family lines.”

“But then again the Defense teacher is a mudblood, he shouldn’t be spreading his blood anyways.” Sirius couldn’t relive what his mother was saying. He squeezed his hand around the knife handle, he couldn’t get upset his parents would only punish him more.

“It is a good thing that they are doing those evil acts, they can’t spread that blood. All those Mudbloods, Halfbloods and blood traitors should die.” His father then turned to Sirius. “Isn’t that right? Your dear cousin Narcissa says that you have been surrounding yourself with that filth.”

“You're wrong.” He whispered.  Sirius felt himself crack. He couldn’t stay quiet anymore not when they were talking this way about his friends.

“What did you say?” It was quiet was his mother tensely spoke.

“I said that father is wrong.” Sirius felt his momentum building. “Nothing is wrong with Muggleborns, or with Halfbloods. My friends shouldn’t die they are perfectly fine. And Professor Hudson is a good teacher, one of the best, who even cares if he’s homosexual. I certainly don’t.”

His father got up so fast his chair fell over and crashed onto the ground. He rounded the table and harshly grabbed Sirius’ arm dragging him out of his chair and into the hallway. Sirius’ mother followed them as Sirius was pushed upstairs to the drawing room. His father magicked the door open, it slamming onto the wall. And threw Sirius on the ground in front of the tapestry. Sirius felt like his hair was getting ripped out as his father pulled his hair so that Sirius faced the tapestry. When he was younger he remembered studying the names on it. He now could spot where generations ago a Black married a Potter. Their names had been blown off the tree. Next time Sirius saw James he would have to tell him that they were second cousins. He wasn’t sure if the Potters thought James that.

“Look at it, Sirius! This is who you are!” His father yanked on his hair again making pain run through his scalp. “I don’t care if we have to beat it into you!” Sirius felt his father tear off his dress shirt, and then seconds later the belt cracked down. Pain radiated down his back, again and again, it was worse than the beating days ago. All his father's anger was shown and the belt kept hitting him. He tried to not scream, he wouldn’t show his pain, not to his parents. His teeth bit through his lip, and finally what seemed like hours later it stopped.

“Walburga get the oil.” His father ordered, Sirius couldn’t see what was happening but he heard his father step back. His mother used her boot to push Sirius onto his back, another round of pain raged through his body. She pulled out a handkerchief from her dress, and pour liquid on to it, and shoved the fabric into his mouth.

“Go to your room!” His father kicked him in Sirius’ side and stormed out of the room. Most likely to go save his family dinner, mother following behind after putting the oil back in the drawer.

Sirius mind went back to James’ promise, he spits the hankie into his hand and held onto his side. He had to get to James, stumbling he made it up to his bedroom. Thankful he didn’t see anyone else, he didn’t want to get into more trouble. His mouth started to feel numb, and it was starting to get hard to breathe. Sirius realized, the oil was peach oil, that’s where Kreacher got it from. That's why his mother did it, his father couldn’t touch the oil. Sirius wondered why they even had the oil, but couldn’t think about it. It was getting harder to breathe, and he couldn’t stay here. He grabbed the pouch of needles off of his desk and some floo powder. Going to stand in the fireplace.

“Potter Mansion!” He yelled with the last of his strength.

 

* * *

 

It was the twenty-fifth of December and Peter was having one of the best Christmases ever. It was fun visiting Spain, his cousins lived in the suburbs of Málaga, Spain so there was a lot of stuff to do. There wasn’t snow but it wasn’t hot either. Making it the perfect temperature compared to England during the winter. Peter’s cousins showed them the beaches, the castles, and told him all about Spain. Rafael and Emmet told him about Beauxbatons and in return he told them about Hogwarts.

It was amazing being able to visit his cousin's house, it was much bigger than his own. His grandmother, Rosita, and his uncle’s family lived together in the large house. His uncle Matthew and his wife Áurea had five kids. Emmet’s twenty-one, Noemí’s sixteen and so was Rafael, Óscar’s eleven and Anna was seven. Only Emmet and Rafael were magical and attending Beauzbaton as Emmet already graduated. Anna was too young to know for sure if she was a witch.

On Christmas, Peter woke up to the sound of Christmas carols. Together they had a large breakfast and went to a Catholic church service. His Spanish was only conversational, which made it hard to understand the sermon as it was in Spanish. Afterward, they went home and celebrated Christmas. There was food, music, gifts, and a bunch of yelling. The celebrations weren’t that different than the ones in Scotland, but it seemed so much happier to Peter. For once he was able to forget about his father and just be joyful.

 

* * *

 

It was the twenty-fifth of December and Remus was in so much pain.

“Come on Remus, you need to drink this.” His mum moved a bottle of a potion near his mouth.

“What’s the time?” His throat was dry, but he couldn’t move his head to drink the potion.

 

“It’s almost three.” Remus saw tears in his mum’s eyes. He couldn’t imagine being a parent and see your child in pain.

“Okay.” Remus moved his arm trying to push himself off of his bed, pain flaring through his joints.

“Remus you need to lay back down.” His mum looked like she wanted to push him down, but Remus knew that she wouldn’t. She didn’t want to hurt him.

“It’s okay mum.” Now that he was sitting up Remus swung one of his legs off of the side of the bed. Remus liked the full moons at Hogwarts better. Even with all the pain that revolved around climbing the stairs. But Madam Pomfrey never was this emotional. She brought him down to the willow and didn’t let her emotions show, something that his mum always did. “I’m going to go down now.” He swung his other leg over the side of the bed, his mum helped him to stand up.

“Are you sure honey? It’s cold down there and you still have an hour before the sunset.” Agony spread through Remus’ bones at every step. His skin felt like it was on fire and his lights in the house gave him a headache.

“Yeah, mum. You need to finish making dinner.” Even if Remus’ father didn’t celebrate Christmas he still forced his mum to make a big holiday dinner.

“Okay.” She moved them into the kitchen and opened the door to the basement. They walked the steps down into the cellar and over to the cage. At the far end of the basement was a brick room. The walls were thick and the door was iron, but Remus swore that it had silver in it. Whenever he touched it, his hands felt like they were touching acid. But it could have just been a spell his father put on the door. Remus’ mum opened the door and moved him in, she turned around as Remus began to undress. With her eyes closed, she took his clothes and shut the door. “I love you, Remus.” The lock on the door clicked shut, then the second lock, the third lock, and the last lock. Remus always feared that a fire would break out, and he would die in it. The basement door creaked shut and that lock was clicked.

Pain went through his muscles as he laid down on the ground, cold seeping into his skin. He heard his father start to yell. Remus thought that this was the worst part. His hearing picking up the fights that he couldn’t stop from happening.

 

* * *

 

It was the twenty-fifth of December and James was exhausted. His parents woke him up early, three in the afternoon. Forced him to a sherwani and made him go to a fancy ministry party. This wasn’t a bad thing, it was amazing that his parents took him to these parties, many of the other parents didn’t. His father didn’t work for the ministry but he was invited to these parties. It was because he made potions for the ministry.

“James go change out of your clothes, I want to see you asleep by the time I get up there.” His mother ordered it was only nine at night, James had stayed up much later than this, but he was tired so he didn’t argue. Sure he had slept for a long time, but ministry paraties

“Don’t wrinkle your clothes either!” His father called up the stairs, the sherwani that James was wearing was his father’s when he was younger.

“I know! Good night!” James called back downstairs. He entered his bedroom, got dressed, put the sherwani back into his closet and got into bed. Falling asleep as the full moon rising in outside of his window.

James was dreaming a good dream, he was down in London on the London Bridge watching the sunrise on the River Thames. Sirius, Remus, and Peter were also there. Running around on the bridge and his parents and family were there as well. His father was wearing James’ sherwani but it was too small. So it was riding up his legs and arms, as well as tearing at the seams. They then started to sing ‘London Bridge Is Falling Down’ and play the game when a loud alarm sounded. It was louder than the alarm that Remus set in the mornings and it woke James up, no yelling required.

He looked over at the clock on his nightstand it read eleven fifty-three, James slowly got up out of the bed. Opening the door he didn’t see his parents anywhere. He ran quietly downstairs, his wand gripped in his hand. When James wasn’t even five his parents explained to his the wards that surrounded the house and the floo. If anyone entered the house anyway without his parent’s consent the alarms went off. James knew that these were the alarms even if he didn’t hear them before. When he got down half of the steps the blaring noise shut off. Entering the living room he could hear his parents yelling.

 

* * *

 

James looked around the room trying to see what was wrong. His parents were huddling around the fireplace. Their wands pointing at a body on the floor. They were in their pajamas but they weren’t sleeping as he heard the Muggle TV making sounds in the other room. He looked at the body on the ground lying near the fireplace, like the person stumbled out.

“Sirius!” James ran to the body on the ground, it was clearly Sirius. His face was the same but red, puffy, wheezing breaths coming through his lips. Looking down the other's body he was bruises, blood, and cuts, there was so much blood. So much that it was soaking into the carpet around him.

“Jamie.” Sirius was in so much pain, he felt like his back was on fire and his throat felt like swollen making it hard to talk. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing. 
> 
> Once again, if anyone who is reading this currently (as of June 2019) wants to write a Year Two story please comment to tell me. I wrote the first year during NaNoWriMo, and Camp NaNoWriMo is coming soon and I may write during that event, but only if people wanted the story.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of winter break!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Child Abuse (first section, forth section, fifth section, ninth section), Allergic Reaction/Anaphylactic Shock (first section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

“Sirius!” James felt like he wanted to cry. Whatever happened wasn’t Sirius’ fault. Why did he keep apologizing? “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry.” Sirius couldn’t breathe. He raised hand which gripped the pouch of needles and moved it so that it hit James in the chest. “I’m sorry.” 

“Did you eat peaches?” James grabbed the needles, and Sirius looked like he shook his head. “Did they use the peach oil again?” Sirius' head nodded a little. 

“James, what the hell is going on?”  His mother touched his shoulder. Trying to make James look at her. “Is that your friend Sirius?”

“I’m sorry.” Sirius wheezed out, he felt like he was going to pass out he couldn’t breathe. 

“It’s okay. It’s okay.” James opened the pouch to see the needles that Madam Pomfrey gave to Sirius, inside of them was liquid. He didn’t remember the name of the drug, but he did hear the matron’s calm voice instructing him what to do. She explained to all of them what to do in case Sirius ever had an allergic reaction. Uncover Sirius thigh, if he has pants on pull them down to his knees. The needles can’t go through his material. “Okay, pants.” James went to pull down the slacks that Sirius had on, when the other grabbed his hand.

“I’m sorry.” 

“James what’s going on?” His father exclaimed ordering James to speak out. James couldn’t imagine what was going on in his parents mind, but James didn’t think about that. He pulled down the slacks to see a mess of scars, his mum was leaning over his shoulder and he heard her gasp. 

“I’m sorry.” Sirius didn’t know how he was still talking. He felt like his throat was closed, but he couldn’t pass out. He didn’t want James to see his scars. What would he think? 

“It’s okay Sirius. Just breathe, you’re going to be okay.” Uncap the needle, make sure to not touch the tip with anything. James took off the cap care not to touch it. Tap the liquid inside to get rid of the bubbles. He tapped the needle many times, he didn’t know what the bubbles would do but he didn’t want to risk it. Sirius was into much pain to get sick again. Quickly insert the needle into the outside of the thigh. Push the plunger slowly at a uniform speed, then remove the needle when it is empty. Massage the area for a few seconds. 

James took a deep breath and stabbed the needle into Sirius’ scarred thigh. His thumb moving the plunger down. 

“James! What are you doing?” His mother shouted. 

“What’s in the needle James?” 

“I’m sorry.” 

James removed the needle when it was empty, and started to rub the area. 

“It’s okay Sirius, that should help.” He turned to his parents, his mind still racing, “Heal him!” James pointed to the blood on the carpet kept growing. His mum rolled Sirius onto his stomach, they all gasped when they saw his back. Cuts crossed all over his back, from what James could see through the blood there was older scars. 

“I’m sorry.” Sirius could feel his throat loosening, allowing him to breath better. His mind started to clear a little bit letting him focus on what was happening around him. He was on his stomach with both his shirt and pants were off, although he still had his boxers. Someone was rubbing the back of his thighs, and there were voices all around him. 

“It’s okay sweetheart.” James’ mother said, James saw her get up, “Mont, heal him. I’ll go get the dittany.” She ran off probably to the nearest bathroom where they stored the liquid. 

“Seminibus Ortus Auferat.” James’ father traced his wand over the open wounds and nothing happened. “Vulnera Sanentur.” His father traced them again, the cuts started to close. His father repeated the spell three more times. After each the skin started to mend together a little bit more until the wounds were no longer opened. Only scars and blood was left, “Sanguinem Evanescet” the blood went away. His mum ran back into the room carrying bottles of potions and bandages. 

“Here’s the dittany.” She handed it to James’ father, who pored it onto Sirius’ back. Green steam rose up from his back, and the scars appeared healed. Sirius wiggled on the carpet, James knew how much the dittany stung even if the wound wasn’t open.

James saw his mum and dad pick up Sirius so he was sitting on the couch, his father pointed his wand at the blood pile. 

“Evanesco.” The blood on the carpet disappeared, not even leaving a stain just fresh snow colored carpet.

“James go get some pajamas and blankets.” His mother ordered. Sirius looked up and saw James’ clothes and giggled. James never wore those clothes when they were at Hogwarts. They were a maroon color with many golden snitches flying around the cloth. 

“Oh, shut up Sirius.” James ran upstairs managing not to trip like he did many times when he was younger. He opened his closet and picked out a matching set of pajamas. These were a golden color with maroon snitches on them. The clock read twelve, it had been only seven minutes from when James woke up and his whole world had changed. What happened to Sirius? James grabbed a few blankets. And made sure that they weren’t wool because Sirius was allergic to wool, and ran to the kitchen. 

“Binney!” James called, and a pop sounded in the kitchen a tired look house elf appeared before him.

“Yes, tiny master. What does tiny master need? Binney was sleeping after telling the tiny elves that it was going to be alright.”

“It’s okay Binney, it was just my friend coming. Can you get me some of your soup, but make sure that there isn’t any peaches or dairy in it. Okay?” James hoped that Sirius wasn’t allergic to anything else that might have been in the soup. 

“Yeah, tiny master. Then Binney can go back to sleep.” She popped away and James ran back to the living room when he entered everyone stopped talking. 

 

* * *

 

As soon as James was out of the room, someone started to talk.

“You're Sirius right?” Mrs. Potter asked as she started to get up. Walking over to the fireplace, she grabbed something that Sirius couldn’t see.

“Wh-What are you doing?” Sirius didn’t know that his voice could get any quieter. He had his head down, but he was still watching Mrs. Potter do something over at the fireplace. She turned around with a piece of fabric in her hand. 

“Don’t worry sweetheart. I’m grabbing my hijab nothing to worry about.” She moved over to the mirror on the wall and started to wrap the fabric around her head. 

“Your what?” Sirius said a little bit louder now that he wasn’t in danger. James never mentioned anything called a hijab. 

“It’s a scarf that I wear around my head, it shows my dedication to my faith.” She came back over with the scarf wrapped loosely around her head. A few pieces of hair coming out to sit around her face, and she sat down on the couch next to him. “Now enough about me. What happened tonight?”

“Nothing, I… I just got into trouble, and I remembered James telling me that.” He paused for a second when he felt tears in his eyes. He couldn’t cry he didn’t want to upset Mr. and Mrs. Potter when they were being so nice to him. “That I could come here if I needed to.” He said this last part quietly.

“Oh honey, it’s okay.” Mrs. Potter said, she reached out to touch his bare leg but Sirius flinched and she put her hand back on her lap. 

“Sirius, who did this to you?” Mr. Potter said Sirius didn’t want to tell him. It wasn’t like they could do anything against his parents, they would lie their way out of it. What harm would it be if he told them, one part of Sirius' brain thought. If he did maybe they could do something to help him. Another part of his brain told Sirius that it was his own fault. He should have made his way through the conversation and he couldn’t have gotten into trouble.

“No one. It was my fault.” He heard Mrs. Potter gasp and Sirius didn’t know why she was so surprised. It was the truth he should have not said anything and he would have been fine. He lived in that house for eleven years without saying anything. Yeah, he didn’t think that anything was wrong with what they were saying, but he would survive another six years. He only had to live in that house for the summers anyway, it wouldn’t be that hard. 

“No!” Sirius flinched at the loud sound that Mrs. Potter made. “Whatever happened wasn’t your fault.” 

 

* * *

 

Sirius didn’t believe that but he wasn’t able to say anything because James ran back into the room. His arms were full of blankets and clothes. 

“Here.” James threw the matching pajama set onto Sirius’ lap. “And before you laugh remember I have blackmail.” James fell back onto the couch, landing between his father and Sirius, he tossed a blanket over them. 

“What’s that Jamie?” Sirius teased back, he knew that the other wouldn’t actually be mean to him on purpose.

“You wear little boy boxers! Sirius, they don’t even have a pattern on them.” The two boys started to giggle. James knew that his parents were watching him, waiting to be able to question him all about Sirius. But they had more manners than that and would wait until Sirius wasn’t around. 

Binney popped into the room with a tray, it had some soup, crackers and a cup of water. 

“Thanks, Binney!” James said as she put the tray onto their laps and popped back out. 

“James, did you tell Binney to get food?” James’ mum asked. 

“Yup!” James stole a cracker off of the tray and ate it. While Sirius started to eat the soup. He trusted James to make sure that there wasn’t anything in there that Sirius shouldn’t eat. 

It took Sirius five minutes to finish the soup, all the remaining crackers, and the water. Sirius thought that Kreacher’s food was good. Even when he was trying to poison Sirius, or that the food at Hogwarts was good. But it was nothing compared to Binney’s cooking. 

“Come on. Let's go to bed.” James’ mum said as she started to get up. The boys followed behind her, as they made their way upstairs. Sirius knew that the house was much bigger than Grimmauld Place, but his family had multiple houses throughout Europe. The London house was where they mainly stayed. They stopped outside of a guest room, that James noted was next to his. 

“Good night Sirius.” Mrs. Potter said, she opened the door for him and Sirius walked in. Behind him, he heard the door close, as much as Sirius didn’t want to sleep. He knew that he would have nightmares, but he got into the comfy bed anyways and tried to fall asleep.

 

* * *

 

Once his mum closed the door, his parents led James into his own room. 

“James.” His mum said then tears were falling down her cheeks. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“You said that you didn’t like him!” James tried to not yell, he didn’t want to make Sirius feel like they were fighting about him. 

“Yeah, but we thought that he was like his family, that he was one of those bigots.” His father said while sitting down in one of the chairs that were across from James’ bed. James collapsed onto his own bed, throwing his head up to face the ceiling. 

“I told you that he wasn’t,” James remembered that clearly. The minute that he got back to his dorm on the second day of school he was writing back to his parents. Telling them that Sirius was nice, that he didn’t seem like his family. Even after Sirius told them about what his family taught him. James was still telling his parents how Sirius was the best, now with more dedication in his letters. 

“But you never told us that he was being abused.” His father replied. James couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Sirius was abused? Sure, James saw the scars on the others back on the first day of school. And the howler that his parents sent him was harsh. And the peach oil on the letter. And today. Maybe he was being abused. James moved so that he was sitting and facing his parents. 

“Mont, why did you tell him that? He is only a little boy!”

“Mia he needs to know.”

“What do you mean abused?” James knew what the word meant, he wasn’t stupid. But who would abuse Sirius? 

“Well.” His mother heisted, he understood not wanting to tell a little kid, but James wasn’t little and he needed to know. 

“We think that Sirius is being hurt.” His father cut in.

“I know that! But who would want to hurt Sirius?” 

“We think that it is his parents, James.” He felt his heart breaking. Why would Sirius’ parents want to hurt him? “My mother, your grandmother was a Black. She didn't tell me much about growing up, all I know is that she left her family right when she turned seventeen. There must have been a reason for that.” 

“If he is being hurt why don't you take him and his brother from them?” James didn't know if Reg was being hurt too, he really hoped not. It was bad to have Sirius being hurt but his brother too. 

“Oh, Mont, there's another kid.” His mum whined. 

“James, you need to understand that the Blacks are powerful. They believe in heirs and blood supremacy. Mr. Black works in the Ministry, which gives him so much power. They won't let their heirs leave their control without a fight.”

“Oh.” James couldn't process this. They have proof that the Blacks were abusing their son, it wasn't fair that they couldn't get Sirius out of the house.

“I’m sorry James. Good night.” His mother got up and kissed him on James’ forehead. As his parents moved to the door she placed her scarf on his desk. His father moved to kiss his forehead and followed her out of the room. 

James wasn't alone for even five minutes before he was opening the door to the guest room and climbing into bed with Sirius. 

“I'm sorry,” Sirius whispered as James wrapped himself around Sirius. 

“It's going to be okay."

 

* * *

 

It was the seventh of January, close to two weeks after Sirius came to stay with the Potters. The two hadn’t talked about the situation yet, as James didn’t know how to bring it up. How do you walk up to your best friend and start a conversation about the other’s parents nearly killing him? Sirius didn’t want to talk about it as he didn’t want to have James see him differently. He didn’t want to have his friend see him as weak. But he also didn’t want to have James so and talk to the professors or, even worse, Dumbledore. They wouldn’t be able to do anything as his parents would never let his leave.

They were packing up James’ stuff and putting it into his suitcase so that they didn’t have to rush in the morning. Sirius didn’t have anything to pack, e didn’t bring anything home and if he did, he wasn’t going back home to grab it. 

“What do you think Sirius?” James asked holding up some dungbombs and some shock-o-choc. James’ father took them both out to Diagon Ally last week. They went to some shops, where he bought James more products. James told Sirius that his father was proud that they pulled pranks because it was a good way to learn new spells. Sirius did agree with that, with one prank all four of them learned two new spells. It was a good way to learn and it was fun. “Should we bring them?” 

“Yeah! We can prank some Slytherins.” Before the break, the Slytherins were teasing him more. It wasn’t too bad and he never had to go to the hospital wing for it. But it still was annoying and Sirius wanted to tease them back. 

“Good idea Sirius.” James threw them into his bag, he didn’t know why Sirius was so harsh on the Slytherins. Now that James knew about what was happening to Sirius. It could have been that Sirius’ cousins were in Slytherin. It could have also been that Snivellus was in Slytherin. He had been hanging out near Evans, a first-year Gryffindor before the break. He was also being annoying, by making comments under his breath about Remus and how the boy was poor. “We could put the Stink Pellets in his cauldron.” James went over to his shelf to grab a box and throwing them into the bag. It was quiet for a while as James was wandering around his room cleaning it up and finding things that he wanted to bring to Hogwarts. He also started a pile of his mother’s many scarves that were around his room. Sirius was sitting on James’ bed doing homework. Mr. Potter copied the work onto another piece of parchment so that he could do it. 

“You aren't going to tell right?” Sirius asked. He couldn’t focus on his Charms essay to worried about rather James would inform the headmaster. James stopped ruffling through his wardrobe to sit next to Sirius. 

“Do you want me to?” James wanted to tell anyone, it wasn’t okay that Sirius was getting hurt. James was also worried about Reg. 

“No,” Sirius whispered. He couldn’t believe that he was having this conversation. He never thought that he would have this conversation.

“Then I won’t tell.” James paused for a second then added on. “But you do know it’s wrong, right?” He didn’t want an answer to this, it wasn’t okay that he was hurt but it would be even worse it Sirius thought it was his fault. 

“Kinda… but it’s not that bad. It’s only a few punishments, I should have stayed quiet. They said that stuff before.” James knew that the other meant before Hogwarts. It was before Sirius knew that what they were saying was wrong. Throughout the four months of Hogwarts the three of them, Mainly James seeing how he grew up involved in the wizarding world. Started to show Sirius why his parents were wrong. Evans, a Muggleborn, was just as smart, even smarter than, many of the Pureblood first years. And Halland, an openly queer first year who was equal to any non-queer person. An idea that even many students didn’t believe. “And I didn’t say anything and it was fine.”

“But you didn’t think that it was wrong you didn’t know better before and now you do.” 

“Yeah but-” Sirius knew that it was fine, he would be fine. As long was Reg was okay and didn’t get punished it was okay. 

“Don’t defend them.” James grabbed Sirius hand and moved them so that they were laying on their backs facing the ceiling. “You might not believe it, but what they do to you is wrong. We can’t change that, at least not now.” James knew that it was wrong to not inform more adults. But his parents warned him against telling the teachers. They were wrong before when it came to Sirius. After all, they said that he was a bad influence, and Sirius was anything but. His parents told him that Sirius’ parents might get angrier at Sirius and start to hurt him and his brother more. And James couldn’t have that. 

 

* * *

 

Remus ran through the brick wall and opened his eyes to see the bustling wizarding platform. It wasn’t as crowded as it was in September or on the last day of term, but it was still quite busy. He looked around where he was standing but didn’t see any of his friends. It was still early because his father apparated him to the ministry earlier that morning. Leaving Remus to find his own way to the platform. He was freezing and starting to get a headache so he started to walk towards the train. 

Most of the compartments were empty. The train left at nine and at quarter to eight there wasn’t a lot of people there. As he walked the length of the train he saw Snape and Evans in a compartment and another with a few older Slytherins. Before getting to the compartment they sat in the past two train rides. He opened the door, pulled a book out of his bag and then places his bag on the rack above his head. He had bought the book three weeks ago while waiting for his train. At King’s Cross, there was a small grocery store which some cheap books.

 

* * *

 

“I’ll see you later Peter.” His mum moved him to hug him again. Breathing in the sent of the ocean, his mother had bought a new perfume that smelt like the coast of Málaga. Peter and his mother had gotten back to England not even five minutes ago. They had taken a portkey to the Ministry and his mother apparated to the platform.

“Bye Mum, I love you.” Peter was happy to finally get back to his friends. He couldn’t wait to tell them all about Spain and he was excited to hear their stories about their own holidays. 

“Have a happy birthday, I won’t be able to see my baby turn twelve.” She hugged him one more time before patting his back again. “Go see your friends. I love you.” Peter picked up his two bags. One had gifts his clothes, neatly packed instead of being thrown into the bag. The other had Christmas gifts that he would be giving to his friends. He had bought the gifts in Spain instead of through the mail order. But wasn’t able to send them because he didn’t want to use a long distance owl. 

“I love you too.” Peter gave her a wave and turned away to walk towards the train. He entered the train and started looking for his friends. Finally, he found Remus sitting in the same compartment as before.

 

* * *

 

Sirius didn’t know why Mrs. and Mr. Potter was making such a big deal out of James leaving for Hogwarts. Binney made a huge breakfast and yesterday night she made the boy’s favorite dishes. Throughout the whole time, Sirius had been at the Potter house. None of the dishes any ingredients that he was allergic to. James must have talked to Binney. Which made Sirius feel happy that James carried about his health. 

“I love you, James!” Mr. Potter said as he pulled James into a hug for the third time. James didn’t mind. But he was also running late, so he let go of his father. Sirius had no idea why they were so emotional. It’s wasn’t like James was going to another continent, they would still be able to send letters. But then nothing lately has made a lot of sense. His parents always told him that crying was a weak thing to do, but Mr. and Mrs. Potter weren’t weak. His parents also said that blood traitors, like the Potters. Should die which like other things his parents said was wrong. 

“We need to go now, I love you too.” James picked up his bag, full of prank supplies and his clothes. As well as the homework that Sirius completed yesterday night. The clock behind them rang, signaling that it was eight forty-five. 

“Oh, yes you do.” His mum said and pulled him to another quick hug then turned to Sirius. “It was so nice to meet you, Sirius!” James was happy that she didn’t go to hug Sirius. His mum’s hugs were tight and Sirius was so skinny. James was afraid that she would break Sirius if she were to hug him. On the day that Sirius came, James could see almost all of his ribs.

“We would love to have you come stay for summer break!” Sirius knew why Mr. Potter said that. They were worried about him going home for the next break. He knew that it was wrong but he accidentally overheard them talking one night. To be honest, it wasn't his fault, they were talking loudly when he was going to the bathroom one night. Mr. Potter hadn’t mentioned Spring break because the four of them agreed to stay at Hogwarts over the break. 

“Bye!” James exclaimed when the clock rang again, it was now eight fifty and James wanted to leave now. They needed to go find their friends and a compartment before the train started. He hated having to walk when the train was moving, it made him feel dizzy like he would fall over at any second. Grabbing Sirius’ arm they started to walk towards the train. Making it into the door when the clock rang again. There was a crowd of students in the aisle, so James pulled Sirius through the crowd until they passed the students. 

“Where do you think they are?” James let go of Sirius’ arm and looked in the compartments around them, their friends weren’t there. 

“Lets’ look down that way.” Sirius pointed down the hall in the direction of where they were sitting before. He hoped that they would sit in the same place. That could become their compartment which would be fun. 

 

* * *

 

The train started to move when Sirius and James finally found the other two.

“Hello!” James sang as he opened the door, Peter was putting his bags up on the rack and Remus had a book in his hands. “How long have you been here?” He reaches up to add his bag to the rack before sitting on the bench next to Peter. 

“Not long,” Peter said as he pushed James’ feet off of his lap. At first, he hated when James or Sirius did that but now it didn’t bother him, both of them did it to annoy them. “I just got in here a few moments before you did. Remus was already here.”

“Yeah, I’ve been here a while. My father dropped me off on his way to the Ministry.” Remus knew that it was a lie, but it was kind of true, his father was on the way to his office so he thought that it was okay. “How was your holiday?” He hoped that the others’ didn’t have a bad holiday like he did. The wolf didn’t like being in a new place, even if he had transformed for years in the basement. So Remus ended up with a broken leg which his father healed it. But in return, he ended up with a broken nose and the bruises were still there though. 

“Wow! What happened to your face?” Sirius finally looked up from where he was playing with his clothes. They weren’t really his, as he was dressed in some of James Muggle clothes. Mr. and Mrs. Potter tried to take him out to find his own clothing but he didn’t want them to buy him any. But he was hoping that he could go to Muggle London to get some clothes that he liked during the summer. The Muggle clothes were more comfortable than the slacks and dress shirts that Sirius had to wear during his free time. Sirius knew that in the past he had similar bruises on his face from when his parents smacked him in the face. But Sirius didn’t want to think about it. Who would want to hit Remus? 

“Nothing.” Remus looked down at his lap, where Sirius had his feet. e knew that it was a stupid excuse, something must have happened because bruises don't just show up. But he was never that good at lying even when he has been doing it almost his life. He couldn’t tell them that is father caused it, they might find out that he is a monster and get him kicked out of Hogwarts. “How was your holiday?” Sirius looked over at James, he hoped that the other would keep his promise and not tell everyone. 

“Good, my parents forced me to go to a ministry gala but other than it was good. What about yours?” James couldn’t tell them, he wouldn’t break Sirius’ trust unless he needed to. Other than Sirius staying with him, his family didn’t do much as they were going to India over the summer. 

“Good,” Remus added, he hoped that they wouldn’t ask anything else if he said it now. “My mum and I finished celebrating Hanukkah, and I got a lot of chocolate to play with.” The rest of the boys knew that Remus was probably talking about Dreidel. Remus explained how the players would often win chocolate coins as prizes instead of actual money.

“Mine was boring as well.” Sirius debated telling them that Kreacher poisoned the letter. But he choose to not tell them unless they asked about it. “Can you teach us how to play Dreidel? After Peter tells us about his trip of course. And about the aeroplane!” 

Peter started to tell them all about Spain, the aeroplane and about celebrating Christmas which his family. The rest of the afternoon was spent with chocolate, all of them were happy ready to be back at Hogwarts. Remus and Sirius didn’t even care that they got sick after eating the chocolate they won. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing. 
> 
> In the past few chapters I've asked if anyone wants me to write a second year work. I've decided to not write one this year for Camp NaNoWriMo. I'll be going on vacation during July and I don't think that many people want to have a year two work.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birthdays!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of Child Abuse (first section and second section), Bullying (second section), Racism (second section), Recreational Drug Use (second section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

“Dude! What’s with the owls?” Vic yelled from the middle of the Gryffindor table. “You’ve gotten like twenty.” Peter knew that Vic said it to be dramatic but the number of packages was adding up. They weren’t big, each box was about twelve centimeters squares, but there was quite a lot. 

“Vic, stop being so loud,” Hermione said from where she was sitting, in the middle between Peter and Vic. 

“Yeah. Peter, why are you getting so many packages?” James felt like he was behind a barricade, he could barely see Sirius and Remus over the pile of packages. 

“Have you started a smuggling ring? I could do with some candy.” Remus smacked Sirius lightly in the arm. The last time Sirius ate a lot of chocolate he got sick and spent the whole night in the bathroom. Remus didn’t want a repeat of that, Sirius wouldn’t stop complaining about the ache in his stomach. Remus was sick too, after all, he ate the chocolate as well. But he didn’t want to complain and make Sirius feel less dramatic. 

“Sirius, shut up.”

“Thanks, Remus. And no I haven’t started a smuggling ring if I had you wouldn’t be getting any candy.” He pointed at the packages on the table, “These are from my family, it’s my birthday.” 

“Wait, what?” James spluttered, why didn’t Peter tell him about this? “It’s your birthday?” 

“No, he totally didn’t say that,” Sirius said sarcastically, Peter was lucky that he was getting gifts from, Sirius guessed, his family. Sirius didn’t get anything but a hate howler. Remus lightly smacked Sirius’ shoulder again, Sirius didn’t mind him doing it. To Sirius, it seemed like a way of Remus showing his affection. 

“Why didn’t we know about this? I don’t know any of your birthdays.” James couldn’t believe this, it was a monstrosity. “Mine’s March twenty seventh.” 

“March tenth,” Remus said, he couldn’t believe that he was telling them him. Every full moon was a chance of him getting too injured to survive. He knew that the risk was higher when he was younger, but now he didn’t know. The past moon was hard, but that might have been the fact he was back to being stuck in the small room, not in the big shack. Or that he hadn’t been in the same place as the last few months. “What about yours, Sirius.” 

“November third.” Sirius hoped that James wouldn’t overreact, but then again James always overreacted. 

“What? How old are you?” James couldn’t believe this, why didn’t Sirius tell him about his birthday. 

“Twelve.” Remus thought back to November, he became friends with the other boys early that month. The second of November was when he got detention in Herbology. The third was when Sirius got his howler. Remus remembered that it was the next day because he felt so awkward being there when Sirius was upset. Sirius got the howler on his birthday, Remus felt his stomach sink. Why would the Blacks send that to their son on his birthday? It sounded like something Remus’ father would do, he didn’t like this at all. 

“We should celebrate!” James suggested this would be amazing. He could ask an older student where the kitchen was, get a cake. Then celebrate Sirius’ and Peter’s birthdays in the dorm. 

“But first we need to go to class.” Remus got up and grabbed some of Peter’s packages. “And put these in the dorm.” The others got up, grabbed packages, and started making their way to the dorms. 

 

* * *

 

James didn’t know who to ask, it was lunch so most people were there, so he had a free choice. He thought about asking Alice or Frank, then chose not to. They were only third years so they might not have known. The prefects were out because they were prefects no matter how goofy they were. Which meant that James had to ask someone new. Sirius and Peter were arguing about who was a better band, Spellbound or the Weird Sisters. Both of which Sirius was introduced to a few months ago, while Remus was reading. James looked up the table, trying to guess who would know the most about the location of the kitchens. His eyes settled on two redhead twins who were charming their friend's hair different colors. They might know something. 

“Where are you going?” Sirius asked when James got up. 

“Nowhere.” Which was true, he wasn’t going anywhere different. Only changing his seat. He walked up the table to get to the redheads, thinking of what to say when he fell onto the ground. 

“Have a nice fall Potter?” James looked up to see Snape, who was teasing him, it was obvious that he was the one who tripped him. The Slytherin tables were on the other side of the room. Why else would he be over here? 

“What do you want? Snivellus.”

“I was wondering if Black had a nice visit. Because who would willing want to stay at your house. It’s like shite, it’s all brown.” It took James a second before he understood what Snape was saying. Snape tripped him because he knew what happened over the break and then threw in a racist comment. James didn’t have time to think about why Snape knew about the holidays. Maybe Sirius’ cousin told him. For a moment all that James felt was boiling hot anger, how dare Snape say that. He jumped up and lunged at Snape, but was held back by someone. 

“Wow tiger, take it easy.” A voice behind him said another matching voice was talking to Snape. It was one of the redheads, he had his wand pointed at Snape. 

“Get the hell away.” He ordered. “Or I’ll hex you.” Snape looked like he wanted to fight before he turned and ran out of the door. The person holding him back removed his harms and pushed James so that he was sitting on the bench.

“‘Sup,” One of the redheads said, the one sitting on his right. James looked at him “I’m Gideon.”

“I’m Fabian.” The second one said, then sat down on James’ left making James sit in the middle of the two brothers. He pointed at the boy with newly bright lavender hair, “That’s Harley, he’s a Hufflepuff.”

“Hello, little bro,” Harley muttered, as he dug into his shepherd's pie. James could smell something gross that he never smelled before. He assumed that it was marijuana. There had been rumors in the Gryffindor common room about older students getting high.  

“We’re sorry about that kid, he’s an ass,” Gideon said.

“Thanks,” James replied, he was happy that the two older students help him. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back. Snape made him so angry, it was one thing to tease him on his house. But it was another to tease him because he was Indian or to even tease Sirius. For a moment James wondered it Snape was messing with Sirius when he wasn’t there but then dismissed it. Sirius would tell them if the Slytherins were bulling him right? 

“You're a firstie right?” Fabian asked, leaning in front of James to grab a roll and biting into it. 

“Yeah.” James didn’t know how these three could eat so much. Their plates were half empty and it had only been fifteen minutes into the lunch break. 

“I think I’ve seen you and your friends in the common room before.” He continued to eat the roll and set another one on his plate. James thought that Fabian was right as the four of them spent a lot of time in the common room. Sirius was always cold so he wanted to sit in front of the fire. But James didn’t recognize the bright hair, although it might have blended into the decorations of the room. Or they may spend time somewhere else to hang out with Harvey. 

“How do you like your classes?” Harley finally stopped eating, his bowl was now empty and he grabbed the roll off of Fabian's plate. James thought of asking about the spell that the twins were using to change his hair color. But he didn’t as Remus could find it in the library somehow. 

“They’re good. Herbology is the worst though.” 

“Tell me about it.” Harley stopped to take a drink of his lemonade. “I dropped it as soon as I could.” He didn’t know what year you could drop a class at. It might have been the third year because that's when McGonagall said you could join other classes. But James didn’t care, whenever that time came he was going to drop it. The dirt always bothered James. And Sirius who complained about the dirt which in turn bothered James. But the worst thing was that the class was never at the end of the day. So they never had time to wash up before their next class. 

“But Professor Sprout will give you pot when you’re seventeen. So that's a bonus, but that happens when you're a Hufflepuff too. But you can hook some from your friends as well.” Gideon grabbed a brownie off of Harvey’s plate. “What some?” 

“Gideon really?” Fabian smacked the hand that was extended to James. “He’s probably not even twelve. Leave him alone.” The brownie looked good, but James didn’t take it. Whatever was it in James didn’t want. 

“Fine.” Gideon continued eating the brownie. “Is there anything we can get you? You deserve it, to deal with idiots like that. It’s better when your older, you know more spells to defend yourself.” James’ mind went back to the real reason he got up, to ask the older students the location of the kitchens. He needed to go get the cakes for Sirius and Peter and to talk to the house elves. 

“Do you know where the kitchens are?” 

“Wow, did you hit your head or something?” Fabian and Gideon looked kind of confused, James should have explained more. Afterall why would he want to know about the kitchens, they had food right in front of them. 

“No. Today’s my friends birthday, I want to get a cake for him.” James didn’t bother to tell them about Sirius’ birthday, he didn’t want to confuse them and it was confusing. He was still caught up on the idea of Sirius not telling them about his birthday. Did Blacks not celebrate birthdays because it was a Muggle thing? Or was it because they didn’t want Sirius to be happy and part of the abuse thing?

“That’s a noble cause. What do you think Harvey? You going to tell him where the kitchens are?” Harvey already was looking at James, or maybe he was staring at the other tables behind him. 

“Sure.” Harvey grabbed a brownie and bit into it, then handed it to Fabian. “You aren’t going to tell anyone right? Just your little friends. ” James nodded his head, he was going to tell his friends about it anyway. Next to James, Fabian bit into the brownie right where Harvey did.  “Go down to the basement, and find the painting of the fruit. You need to tickle the pear. Okay?” It didn’t make sense, but it seemed easy enough so James nodded. 

“Go on, the house elves will make it. Then bring it to your dorm when you tell them to.” Fabian gave him a roll and ushered James up. He started to walk over to his friends again. James planned on bring Remus to go to the kitchens after Transfiguration. Even with the amount of time left in lunch, they wouldn’t be able to make it down to the kitchens and up to their class in time. 

“Who was that?” Sirius asked. James noted that the debate about wizard bands was finished. He hoped that Spellbound won, the Weird Sisters were overrated in James' eyes. “We were about to come over when they ended it.” 

“Fabian and Gideon, I don’t know their last name.” 

“Prewett.” Sirius knew them he only meant them one time when he was younger. Once they were sorted into Gryffindor he never saw them again. They weren’t on the tapestry themselves but their mother was. The other looked confused on how Sirius knew this, James clearly didn’t study their family tree. “We’re first cousins on my father’s side, their mum is my aunt. On my mother’s side, we are third cousins. We share the same great-great-grandmother and then three generations. James, they’re your third cousins too.”

“How do you know this?” Peter exclaimed, did Sirius have his whole family tree memorized. 

“We have to learn it when we were younger, but my family didn’t teach us all of it. Just up to second cousins at most.” James didn’t have all his cousins memorized, unlike Sirius. His parents weren't that phased with him knowing all his relatives. They were considered blood traitors anyway, so it didn’t really matter.

 

* * *

 

“Remus,” James whispered down the aisle in the library. his parents wouldn’t believe that he was in the library if he told them. They would be more willing to believe that James was a part unicorn than to believe he went into the library. “Remus.” He looked down another aisle and saw a  person facing the window. It looked like Remus, seeing how the person had short brown hair and tattered black robes. James walked up to the person when they turned around. It was Remus. “Hello.”

“Hello.” Remus whispered, “Since when did you go to the library?” Remus heard James walking down the aisles. Whispering his name and he couldn’t believe it. Just two weeks ago James was bragging that he has never been to the library before. The last one in the group to have done so. Peter went sometime in the first week of school, Remus didn’t know why. Sirius had to go as another student split a bad potion onto the book and it burnt up, he needed to go get a replacement. 

“I started now, duh.” James pulled out the chair next to Remus and sat down. “I need your help.”

“Not with one of those pranks again.” As much as he complained about them. Remus did like them, and James knew that so he ignored it. 

“Nope.” James popped the ‘p’ sound loudly. 

“Shhh.” Remus didn’t think that Prince, the librarian, noticed. As he didn’t hear her heels clicking their way over to where they were sitting. “What do you want James, I was studying.” Exams were in June, about four months away, and Remus had to ace them. He didn’t know if he could be kicked out for having bad grades but he wasn’t willing to risk it. 

“You can study later. Right now we are going to the kitchens.” James picked up some of the textbooks Remus had around him, and slid it into the bag next to the boy. He had no idea how Remus could carry this many books without breaking his back. 

“Why?” Remus sighed and started to put his parchments away. There was no way he was going to be able to finish his work with James breathing down his neck. 

“We are going to celebrate birthdays.” James looked like he was restraining himself from talking loudly. Which made Remus laugh a little. 

“Whatever. Do you even know where the kitchens are?” Remus knew that James explore the castle, but the few times he has he never found the kitchens. The others hadn’t either, Remus was sure of it. Or the dorm would be full of food. 

“Yeah, Gideon and Fabian’s friend told me.” James looked around where Remus was sitting to make sure the other didn’t forget anything. One time Remus forgot some of his quills in the Transfiguration classroom. They had to beg McGonagall to open the door at seven that night in their pajamas to get them back. His eyes landed on Remus’ bandaged hands, it was a common thing now Remus was never seen without the gauze on. The side of Remus’ left wrist was almost covered in ink.  “But first lets go wash your hand, it’s filthy.”

 

* * *

 

“Kody!” James exclaimed it had been a few hours from when he and Remus went to the kitchen. They had met a house elf named Kody and asked for him to make two cakes. One that Peter would like and one that Sirius would like. For Peter, they got a chocolate cheesecake. Because he told the three of them all about the cheesecake his aunt made for Christmas. For Sirius, he got a Jello cake, without the gelatin. It was something that Remus suggested because it could be any set of flavor combinations. James picked strawberry and lemon to mimic strawberry lemonade. Which was something that Sirius drank all the time in the Great Hall. 

“What are-” Peter was sitting on his bed unwrapping his gifts and reading braille birthday cards when a pop sounded. A short creature with bat-like ears and a bald head was now in the middle of the room holding two silver platters. Peter didn’t know what was on the plates because they were covered, and he didn’t know what this thing was. “What’s that?”

“Don’t worry! He’s a house elf.” James got up and took the plates, putting them onto his bed. “Thank you, Kody.” The house elf popped away, leaving the four boys. 

“What’s a house elf?” Peter still didn’t know what it was. He wanted to yell to James that saying somethings name wasn’t helpful to inform a person what something is. 

“A house elf helps cook and clean a wizarding house.” Remus knew about house elves. He read a lot about them when he was researching the limited knowledge of werewolves. But he never saw one until today. His father never owned any, and he never has been inside of the ministry long enough to see one. “They are the ones who do your laundry and clean the dorms.  They work down in the kitchens.” Peter was glad that someone finally told him what the hell a house elf was. He turned his attention to James who was bouncing on the heels of his feet. 

“What are you doing Jamie?” Sirius was in shock of what a normal young house elf looked like. He assumed that Kreacher looked like that at one point in the elf’s miserable live. 

“Happy birthday!” James pulled off the lids revealing the two cakes. Remus was happy that he didn’t have to touch the silver. But then he saw that there were silver spoons and plates on James’ nightstand. The house elf must have put them there before he left. He was glad that he still had the bandages on and that the Great Hall didn’t have silver dishes. Remus wondered if Dumbledore made the change before he came to Hogwarts or if it was normally like that. “I wanted to celebrate your birthdays so Remus and I went down to the kitchen and got you guys birthday cakes.”

“Thank you.” Peter felt like he wanted to cry a little bit. He was never away from his mother during his birthday, so he was missing her. Even if she had sent a long letter this morning. He was also sad that he didn’t get to eat cake with his mother for breakfast. But now he could start a new tradition with his friends for birthdays. Eating cake in the dorm at eight fifteen in their pajamas. 

“Cake!” Sirius never really had that many birthday cakes. The only time his parts or his aunt and uncle would celebrate birthdays was when someone was turning eleven or seventeen. But Sirius loved cake. It was one of the best parts of any formal event, like ministry parties or weddings. 

“Yup! This one is chocolate cheesecake, like what Peter told us he had over brake. But it has dairy and chocolate in it so you can’t have it.” He pointed at Sirius while saying the last part. Remus felt bad for Sirius he knew how good chocolate was and how it felt to not be able to eat it without getting sick. “This one is a Jello cake though. It’s strawberry and lemon like your lemonade you drink all the time Sirius.” Sirius felt incredibly happy, his friends wanted to celebrate his birthday. “And both of them don’t have gelatin.” 

“What’s gelatin?” Sirius never heard about it before. Was it something that he could be allergic to? 

“You don’t want to know.” Peter knew what gelatin was, and it made him sick from just thinking about it. He still ate but he that Sirius should remain innocent to the horror a little bit longer. 

“Okay. What’s wrong with it?” 

“Some gelatin isn’t kosher, which is important for me ‘cause I’m Jewish.” This wasn’t really true, as he was forced to not eat kosher at home. But when he was at Hogwarts he tried to only eat kosher. “And I’m pretty sure that it’s haram so James can’t eat it either.” 

Sirius didn’t know what kosher or haram was but he just ate his cake. He didn’t want to learn anything new right now. He was enjoying this time with his friends eating his cake and learning would make it less fun. Even if it was learning about his friend’s culture. James was shocked that Remus knew what he could and couldn’t eat, even if he wasn’t sure. He never told the others about haram items, so Remus already knew about this, it made him feel amazing. 

“So Peter.” James took a break to swallow the cake in his mouth. “What presents did you get?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius vs. the Slytherins  
> Round 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Bullying (throughout the chapter), Mentions of Child Abuse (second section, third section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

Remus thought that Sirius was acting weird. It wasn’t that Sirius wasn’t weird, to begin with, but he was acting differently. First of all, he was in the library, which was rare to start with, and he was looking down at the ground. There was nothing on the ground to look at and Sirius always had his head up. James made a joke about Sirius being a narcissist because he always wanted people to look at him.  

“Sirius?” Remus whispered he didn’t want to get them into trouble with Madam Prince. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah. I’m fine don’t worry about it.” Sirius wasn’t fine. He knew that the dust on his normally clean robes showed this. 

Cissy and her Slytherin friends, Malfoy,, Avery, Rosier, and the younger Lestrange, had attacked him in the dungeons. He went to go ask Slughorn for his winter cloak which he had left in the classroom that morning. So that he didn’t have to wear his thin robes during astronomy. On his way to grab Remus from the library to go eat in the Great Hall, the Slytherins found him and started to jeer. At first, Sirius ignored it and kept walking, but then Malfoy started to make fun of James, Cissy must have told her boyfriend about the holiday dinner. Which was when Sirius slapped Malfoy on the cheek. Malfoy in return punch his eye and pushed him down onto the floor. Someone, maybe Lestrange, landed a few kicks in the Sirius’ ribs before leaving him there. Sirius eventually got up and continued to walk to the library. Remus needed to eat and he couldn’t do that if he was stuck in the library. 

“Okay,” Remus said while putting his materials back into his bag. He was in the same spot he was in the day of Peter’s birthday. Which made him wonder if James told the others where in the library to find him. “Lets go.” Remus stood and put the strap of his bag onto his shoulder. The pair walked a few steps in the aisle when the bag slid off of his shoulder. On impact with the ground his bag broke.  Spilling parchment, books, quills and inks wells all over the ground. 

“Shite,” Sirius said, louder than he should have. But he doubted that Madam Prince would be able to hear from where they were in the library. “Fabricae Instaurabo.” He pointed his wand at the tare of Remus’ bag, and it started to mend itself back together. They both started to gather Remus’ stuff and put it into his bag. “See, this is why you shouldn’t carry so much stuff. Next time it’s not your bag it’s going to break, it’ll be your back.” Sirius wanted to laugh, personally, he thought that it was a good joke. After all, they had been telling Remus to not lug around as many books, and now the bag broke. But Remus wasn’t laughing, instead, he was staring at the other’s face, Sirius quickly moved his head back down. It was obvious that the other saw his face, and wanted to know how it happened. Remus would probably drag him up to the hospital wing if Sirius let him. 

“Sirius.” It looked like the same type of bruise that Remus had a few weeks ago. His nose was healed and the skin was back to its normal color. But it was a bit crooked in the middle due to the untreated break. But it was still the same bruise. Sirius must have been hit, Remus leaned in closer. His bag and supplies are forgotten and moved his fingers to ghost around the edge of the bruise. “What hap- Does it hurt?” He knew that these weren’t good questions. Sirius wouldn’t tell. Whenever Remus had bruises like that, he never answered that question either. And of course, it hurt. 

“A little, but it’s fine.” Sirius was glad that Remus stopped asking about what caused the bruise. He must have assumed that Sirius wasn’t going to expose who hit him, which was true. He didn’t want to worry anyone, it wasn’t a big deal. He survived worse beatings at home. 

“Okay.” Remus put the bag onto his shoulder once again. And grabbed Sirius’ hand and started to pull him up from the ground. The pulled him so that they were both walking. “I’ve something for you.” He was worried for a moment about Sirius wondering why Remus had this. But then dismissed it, Sirius needed it and he wasn’t going to go to the hospital wing.

 

* * *

 

Peter was worried about his friends, both Sirius and Remus didn’t show up for dinner. James said not to be worried. Remus knew where the kitchen was, if he really wanted to they could have gone together to eat there. But by the end of dinner, James was starting to get worried as well. Peter could be right, the two boys could be in trouble. It wasn’t like Sirius to miss a meal, even when he was upset he would still go to the Great Hall with James.

When James opened the door he didn’t know what he was going to see. The boys could have been there, or the dorm could be empty. Or maybe one of the boys there, or they could have been sleeping. But he didn’t expect to see both of them on the floor between James’ and Sirius’ bed, sitting only centimeters apart. 

“Where have you been?” James exclaimed, both of them flinched, which made him kind of upset. It was Sirius’ parent's fault that their son was afraid of loud noises. James didn’t know for sure that this was the reason but he had his ideas. He strolled over to his bed and sat down on it. “What have you been doing?”

“Nothing.” Remus was startled, he heard footsteps him the hallway but he didn’t think that they were his friends. 

Once Remus and Sirius were in the dorm Remus grabbed a container of Bruisewort balm from his trunk. It was a blue cream that helped to fade bruises and would make the area numb so that it no longer hurt. Madam Pomfrey gave it to him on the first full moon. They had been talking about Yom Kippur which had been the night of the full moon. Not that Remus could participate in it anyway, due to him being too young when she saw bruises. She said that bruises were hard to heal. Because to heal them she would have to heal the blood vessels that broke not the bruise itself. Remus finished applying the cream to Sirius' face when James and Peter came into the room. He knew that it was impossible but Remus hoped that they wouldn’t notice Sirius blue face.

“Sirius, what’s on your face?” Peter sounded scared, it wasn’t every day that a person saw their friend with a blue face. Remus got up and put the jar back into his trunk as Sirius lowered his head even more. Peter didn’t think that Sirius head could go any lower.

“Nothing.”

“Is that Bruisewort?” The balm was a necessary object in all the Potters’ bathrooms. All three of them were clumsy and James more so as a young child. He was always falling down outside or bumping into objects. His mother always said that she was surprised that his skin hadn’t been dyed blue from the cream. James got off of this bed to push up Sirius' chin. “Yeah, that's Bruisewort.” The cream was smeared around Sirius right eye and around his nose. If James looked closely he could see the edges of the bruise where the cream didn’t cover it. 

“What’s Bruisewort?” Peter assumed that it was for bruises, but he didn’t know why people would use it. Even with his mum being magical they didn’t use a lot of magical medicines. His mum always used home remedies that she learned from his grandmother. 

“It helps to heal bruises.” Remus hoped that they would forget that he even had the cream, but he was wrong. 

“Why do you have Bruisewort?” James turned to Remus. He thought that Sirius would be more inclined to have the cream than Remus. 

“I’m a clumsy person.” That was the worst excuse ever, but Remus had to go with it. James seemed to be happy with the answer as he went back to questioning Sirius. Remus felt bad for Sirius, but he was also curious. 

“How did you get the bruise?” James was worried about Sirius. His parents weren’t at Hogwarts so how was he getting hurt? 

 

* * *

 

“James… Maybe you should stop.” Peter suggested. James had been asking the same question over ten times. And Sirius never answered, making both of them angrier every time. James was mad because Sirius would answer, all he wanted to do was to help the other one. Sirius was mad because why couldn’t James respect his privacy. He already knew about Sirius’ parents. Why did he have to know about Cissy and her friends? 

“No! I just-” James was cut off by Sirius. 

“Do you really want to know James?” Sirius wanted to yell, but he could only speak softly. 

“Yeah. Why do you think I’ve been asking?” 

“Someone punched me.” He didn’t mention the bruises that were underneath his shirt, and he didn’t want to. If he did then James would insist on taking him to the hospital wing where the matron would see his back. It was awful that the Potters knew about it, Sirius didn’t even want to think about a teacher knowing. “That’s it. Nothing worth fighting about.”

“Who was it? You need to go tell Dumbledore.” James didn’t understand why Sirius kept such important things secret. Like his parents, or his allergies. The other boy hadn’t told his friends until the third week of school. When Peter was eating peach cobbler for dessert one night. 

“I can’t.” If he did then Sirius would get into trouble too, after all, he punched Malfoy first.  And if Cissy got into trouble then his parents would get mad at him again. He was happy that they weren’t going home for spring break. His parents must be angry about Sirius ruining their family dinner party. 

“Why?” 

“Because. I can’t.” When James went to go speak again, Sirius continued. “I hit him first, I would get into trouble too.” Sirius gave James a lighthearted smile, grimacing when the muscles in his face moved. “The bruise will go away soon. No harm done.”

None of them seemed to believe it, Sirius knew that the Slytherins would continue hurting him. James and Peter didn’t seem to like the fact they didn’t know who did it. Even if they did tell an adult Sirius still would have told his friends who he hit. While Remus would only imagine how James would react to finding out that he was a werewolf. Getting this mad over his friend getting hit was nothing compared to how a person would react when they found out that they’ve been sleeping in the same room as a monster. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birthdays!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't see any triggers, but if I missed something please inform me, I want everyone to be safe.

Sirius had never seen so many house elves all together before. James had brought him and Peter to the kitchens so that they could get a cake for Remus. It was Remus’ twelve birthday and James wanted to go get a cake for him. There must have been over a hundred house elves in the kitchen. Some were cooking, others were washing clothing and a few were sitting down talking to each other.

“Master!” A familiar looking house elf ran up to the boys “What can Kody do for Master and his friends?” 

“Hello, Kody.” James looked at the other two boys, Peter seemed to be more overwhelmed than Sirius did. Which made sense because Peter hadn’t seen a house elf until a little over a month ago. Sirius seemed less pleased with the house elves. Maybe even a little nervous, James wondered if the Blacks had house elves. James turned to face Sirius and Peter, “Do you know what flavor we should get?” 

“Chocolate!” Sirius knew that Remus loved chocolate as he was always eating some. It was a miracle that the dorm and Remus’ bag wasn’t full of wrappers. 

“But you can’t have chocolate.” James wanted Sirius to be able to eat the cake too and Sirius couldn’t eat it if he was sick. 

“It’s okay, I won’t have a lot.” Which was a lie, all of them knew that Sirius loved chocolate almost as much as Remus did. He would be eating the sweet until he died, even if it made him sick. 

“Okay. Can we have some chocolate cake.” James turned back to the Kody, who was waiting behind them now with a tray of teacups and biscuits. 

“Wait,” Peter said, he just had the best idea, James moved so that he was facing Peter again. “Remus loved that cake with that we had on my birthday.”

“The Jello cake?” James remembered Remus calling it a ‘poke cake’. But James didn’t like the name why was it even called that. Remus said that his mother used to make it a lot when he was younger, without the gelatin of course. 

“Yeah! We should, but in chocolate.” Peter loved this idea and so did James, they both thought that it was the best for Remus. 

“Good job Pete.” 

“We should get strawberry, he is always drinking my lemonade.” Remus was always stealing sips out of Sirius cup. When he called Remus out on it the other said that food always tasted better when stolen from friends. Both of them had gotten into the habit of stealing each others food. 

“Okay, then it’s settled.” James looked back at the house elf.

 

* * *

 

Remus heard his friends this time in the hallway. The dorm was silent and they were giggling and talking. So he was prepared when James shoved open the door, somehow it hadn’t broken yet. 

“Happy Birthday!” Sirius exclaimed he was bouncing on the heels of his feet looking a lot like James at that moment. James’ arms were in front of him, and his hands were invisible. It took Remus a second to realize that it was just James’ cloak, his friend's hands weren’t cut off. 

“What’s under that?” Remus hesitated, it wasn’t that he didn’t trust what his friends were doing, he was just shocked. He should have expected his friends, mainly James, to celebrate his birthday. He had, after all, celebrated the Sirius and Peters’ birthdays. But it was a surprise to Remus that James actually went out of his way to get a cake. Which was under the cloak, Remus could smell it from where he was sitting. James ripped off the cloak and threw it onto the ground, it made Peter flinch. Why did James have to throw it onto the dirty ground? Underneath was a silver hooded tray, just like on Peter’s birthday.

“Open it.” James moved his hands closer to where Remus was sitting. It was silver, which made Remus hesitate to touch it. But his friends looked so excited, so with his bandaged hand, he still was using his winter cloak. Remus pulled off the lid reliving a cake. “It’s a chocolate cake with strawberry Jello. Sirius and Peter suggested the flavors.” 

“Thank you!” Remus could barely feel the burning on his fingers. 

“Here.” Peter held up some silver plates in one hand, forks in another and moved to sit down on the ground. He couldn’t believe that James gave him the credit of being part of the plan. In his old Muggle school, Jonah always told teachers that Peter didn’t participate in the projects getting him into trouble.

“I got you a gift.” James went over to his trunk as Sirius started to place cake slices onto plates. The day after Sirius’ and Peter’s birthday celebration. James ordered gifts through owl mail and gave it to his friends. He walked back over to where the other boys were sitting, with a drawstring pouch. “You’re having a Bar Mitzvah next year right?” 

“Yeah. Why?” Remus’ mum had talked with him about it over the break when his father was at work. She informed him she was mending clothes for people who lived down in the village, so that she could save money for his Bar Mitzvah. 

“What’s a Bar Mitzvah?” Peter asked, he had never heard of it before, but no one answered his question. 

“I got you this.” James tossed the bag at Remus who caught it right before it hit his chest. Remus opened it and his heart felt like it stopped for a second. Inside was a pile of twenty pounds notes. He leafed through them, savoring the feeling of having so much money in his hands.

“What? James.” He stuttered, Remus felt like he was going to cry. “This has to be at least four hundred pounds.” 

“What’s a pound worth?” Sirius heard of pounds before, he lived in Muggle London after all. But it never accrued to him how much one was worth compared to a galleon. 

“It’s five hundred pounds actually,” James asked Peter a few weeks ago about how Muggle money worked and how much a large event costs in pounds. Peter remembered saying around one hundred or two hundred pounds. But didn’t know why James was asking, he must have asked to see how much to give Remus. 

“James. I can’t -” He could never accept James’ money, not this much. 

“Remus. Put it towards your Bar Mitzvah, but remember to invite us.” James could see Remus give up his fight as he placed the colorful notes back into the bag.

“What’s a Bar Mitzvah?” Peter asked again, Sirius nodded along with him. 

“It’s like a thirteenth birthday party but it’s celebrated in a synagogue. We do a lot of religious stuff, like reading from the Torah and stuff like that. Girls have one called a Bat Mitzvah.”

“That’s cool. Can we go?” Sirius wanted to go, it seemed important to Remus which made him interested about it. 

“I don’t know.” Remus doubted that they would want to be his friends next year. Why would they? He was quite boring and spent too much time in the library. “It’s next year anyway.”

“How much is a pound worth?” Sirius still wanted to know how much one was, he really wanted to get new clothes now. As of the middle of February, about a week or so after Peter’s birthday, he started to steal James’ clothes. When James found out about it he wasn’t mad, they shared clothes over the winter break. James just said that they should go shopping over the summer.

“I don’t know.” Remus never thought of asking anyone this question. His father simply gave him a few galleons to pay for his school supplies.

“Oh, I know that.” James sat up from where he was laying on his back. “One galleon is about five pounds.”

 

* * *

 

Once again Remus was again in the presence of house elves, the elves themselves didn’t bother him. He wondered if the house elves knew that he was a Halfbreed. 

“What flavor?” Sirius was sitting with his feet in Remus’ lap which was weird because they were sitting at a table. The kitchens were set up similar to the Great Hall above. There were four long tables and one shorter table, the teacher's table. Kody had been ready to feed them the moment that they come into the kitchens. Giving them tea and biscuits because they were missing lunch.

“I don’t know.” Peter never heard James talking about cake and he didn’t know what flavors James even liked. He took another bite of his biscuit and swallowed. “Remus?”

“Me neither.” 

“This is too hard.”

“Master,” Kody said from behind Peter making him jump. “Is the biscuit to hard? Kody can change that.  Kody only wants to make you happy!” 

“No!” Peter almost shouted he got worried around house elves. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them it was just that he only has seen them twice before. He also didn’t want to offend them and their cooking, which was pretty good. “The biscuit it fine, amazing. Deciding what flavor cake is hard.”

“Okay.” Kody disapparated to appear on the other side of the room. Remus would never get over the magic of magic. Seeing someone jump from one of the room to another was plain weird. 

“Oh!” Sirius exclaimed he knew what cake they should get for James’ birthday. “He likes Lemon Cakes, with chocolate chips in it.” He remembered Mrs. Potter serving them this cake over the winter break for dessert one night. James told him that he loved this cake because they used to have it every night leading up to his birthday for a week when he was younger. 

“How do you know that?” Remus never heard James saying that before unless he told Sirius privately. But why would they be talking about cakes?

“Shut up and eat your biscuits. We can’t have a hungry Remus in History of Magic now can we?” Sirius noticed that Remus wasn’t touching his mint biscuits or his black tea. Both of which were his favorite. Remus didn’t want to touch the teacup because once again the house elves only have silver dishes. Once again Remus wondered if the school used the silver dishes in the past. Then changed to the ceramic ones before his first year. He slowly grabbed a biscuit careful to not touch the plate. “Kody!’’

 

* * *

 

James felt abandoned, right when the boys got back from dinner all his friends left him. Remus and Sirius went straight to the showers. James didn’t know why they couldn’t have waited until a little bit later. And Peter was still in the common room talking to some of his friends. He knew that they had a life but it was his birthday they could at least spend a little time with him after dinner. After digging through his trunk for his pajamas, James made a mental note to clean that later. Then flung with curtains open preparing to launch himself onto the bed. He saw a plain brown shipping box. He slowly lifted the flaps up when a boom sounded and paper flew out of the box onto the bed. The doors slammed open and James’ friends jumped into the room. Peter from the hallway, Remus from the right bathroom door and Sirius from the left. 

“Happy Birthday!” Sirius yelled he felt proud of himself. He came up with the perfect surprise and it didn’t even take as long as Sirius thought it would. Normally James didn’t come into the dorm and lay down on his bed. 

“Thanks.” James felt himself smiling. For a moment after the box opened and the doors slammed against the wall he was scared. He didn't know who it was and what was happening, but now he was excited. He was twelve and he could celebrate with his friends. 

“Open the box.” Peter came over to sit on Sirius’ bed still facing James and the others followed. When Sirius came up with the plan, he didn’t support it. If Peter saw a box on his bed he wouldn’t open it right away and they might have to be waiting for the box to open for hours. But Remus agreed with Sirius, James would never wait to open the box he was curious. The two of them were right and Peter now agreed that it was a good idea, it worked out perfectly. 

“Okay.” James picked up the box before plunking himself onto the bed and throwing his feet into Remus’ lap. He removed the confetti from the box and saw a plate with a lid. “Aww, thanks. What’s the flavor?”

“How do you know it’s a cake?” Remus knew how James knew that it was a cake. Of course, it was a cake, after all, that's what James had given all three of them for their birthdays. 

“Ugh… I don’t know. It must have been a lucky guess.” James joked why pulling the plate out of the box and taking off the lid. “Oh, it’s a lemon cake! Thanks.” Sirius could tell that James was actually happy and not faking it, once James saw the cake his face lit up. 

“Sirius thought of it.” Peter needed to give Sirius his credit, after all, it was it his idea. “And he also thought about the surprise. I thought of the confetti and Remus found the spell to make it pop out.”

“Thank you!” James handed plates of cake to the three of them. Barley noticing Remus flinching after touching the plate but James dismissed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius vs. the Slytherins  
> Round 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Bully (first section), Homophobic Slurs (first section), Mentions of Domestic Abuse (first section), Child Abuse (second section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

“Oh my god, Sirius.” Peter ran up to his friend who was laying on his bed. “What happened?” All Peter needed to do was to get his textbook from his bag. It was just after lunch time and James and him were going to study in the library. Their next class for that day was canceled and James was going to help Peter in Defense. They wanted to invite Remus to study with them but he still wasn’t back from his parents’ house. Peter still never understood why the other boy went home so much. But Remus said that his mother had cancer. As a treatment, she was receiving chemotherapy and wanted her son to be there. From what Peter heard chemotherapy made people sick. So he saw the reasoning behind that decision and it wasn’t like Remus was behind in his classes. Peter pushed at his friend's arm hoping that Sirius would wake up.

“What?” Sirius’ sleepy voice whispered. Peter was surprised that he could even hear what Sirius said. Sirius’ mind finally caught up to what was happening. 

_“Hey!” Malfoy's voice called out from behind Sirius, fear crawled through his chest. It wasn’t like last time when they had been in the dungeons. That was when anyone could walk up and see the Slytherins attacking him. This time most people were at lunch. Sirius was running late, the three of them, as Remus was still with his mother. Had stayed up late the night before taking part in an astronomy review session. The older Gryffindor students got permission to stay in the tower until two at night. So they had all woke up late. But Sirius wanted to take a shower, so he had gone to take one during lunch. Now Sirius wished that his hair was greasy like Snivellus' instead of being chased by Slytherins._

_“Mudblood lover, I said.” Malfoy caught his left arm in a death grip around Sirius’ bicep and he felt himself being spun around. “Hey.”_

_“What do you want Malfoy?” He didn’t want to give up without a fight. He saw the Malfoy’s gang standing behind the seventh year, Cissy included. “Do you want another broken nose?” Sirius didn’t know if he actually broke Malfoy’s nose when he hit him last time._

_“Oh look. It talks.” Lestrange taunted while walking around Sirius. Like a lion examining its prey, Peter had taken to sharing weird animals facts around the dorm. He even showed him a picture of lions killing their food._

_“We’ve been trying to get you by yourself.” Sirius felt Malfoy tightening his hand to the point where Sirius was trying not to grimace from the pain. “But you're always around your Mudblood Gryffindors.”_

_“Shut up.” Sirius wanted to scream the words. He wanted to tell the whole world to stop saying bad things about his friends. They were the best people Sirius had ever met, Behind Reg of course. He tried to wiggle his arm out of Malfoy’s grip but the pressure on his arm only got tighter._

_“Oh. So frightening.” Lestrange said, now standing behind Sirius. Without warning, Sirius felt Malfoy release his arm and push him onto the ground. Then there was a kick to his ribs and words being shouted at him. He had no idea how no one heard this._

_“That’s what dirty blood traitors deserve.” Another kick hit Sirius’ ribs, he didn’t know who said it. “We heard all about your little incident on Christmas. You bloody faggot lover.” More kicks to the ribs. Someone grabbed Sirius’ shirt and he felt himself being lifted up. For a second he hoped that his shirt would rip and then he could go buy some new ones. But the thought left when he left pain spread through his nose. Rosier was in front holding him up taunting once again. Sirius looked past Rosier and his heart felt like it was breaking. Cissy was standing behind them watching, he tried to look at her in the eyes and for a moment they locked eyes. Then Rosier threw him back onto the ground and Sirius had to close his eyes from the pain._

_Finally, it stopped. Sirius didn’t know how long the beating, he heard their shoes clicking down the hallway. A faint hand was placed onto his shoulder, Sirius felt himself flinch at the touch and opened his eyes. Cissy was kneeling to the side of him, her arm still on his shoulder._

_“I’m so sorry.” He remembered when they were younger and Cissy was upset. Like the time she split her hot soup onto Reg’s lap burning him, her voice sounded the same. “I couldn’t convince them not to do it.” Sirius noticed a bruise that was forming on Cissy’s neck. He felt anger in his stomach, it was clearly Malfoy who did that. “Do you want to go to the nurse?” He knew that he should go to the nurse but he didn’t want her to ask questions._

_“No.” His voice was scratchy and he tried to get up, his arms too weak to push himself up._

_“Okay. Then I’ll take you back to your common room them.” She leaned down to help steady him. Sirius felt bad about leaning most of his weight on her he hoped that he wasn’t going to get blood on her uniform. They walked slowly and Sirius wondered how much time was left before lunch was finished. Finally, they made it to the Fat Lady. “Do you need help to your dorm?”_

_“No.” He pushed himself away from her trying to steady himself. “I can do it.” If he was Cissy, he wouldn’t have believed his voice, he sounded awful._

_“Okay.” Cissy pulled away so he was standing by himself, and she started to walk away as he said the password to the portrait. He started to climb into the common room when Cissy started to speak again. “Just so you know. I still love you.” Sirius stared at her back as she walked away, maybe he imagined it. The Cissy Sirius knew would never say that. But maybe he doesn’t know her that well. Maybe they were all hiding something behind the perfected Black attitude._

_Sirius stumbled up through the common room and up the stairs until he was finally in the dorm. Feeling lucky that no one was there to see him struggle. He collapsed onto his bed, not even closing the drapes, and tried to fall asleep._

“I need to go get James.” He got up from where he was kneeling next to the bed and ran to the door frame. Turning around he saw Sirius struggling to sit up. “Stay where you are.” Peter doubted that Sirius could get very far. He could only see his friend’s face but his injuries looked bad. Sirius couldn’t believe that he let his friends find him. They were going to take him to the nurse and the nurse was going to make him reveal who had beat him. Peter ran down the steps, grateful that their dorm was only two flight from the common room.  He rushed to spot James in the semi-crowded room. He was over near the fireplace talking to a fellow first year, named Marlene.

“James.” Peter poked the other one hard in the back. “I think you should come up to the dorm.”

“Why Peter?” James turned around to face his friend and his anxiety went through the roof. Peter looked like he found a dead body in the shower, with his pale face and trembling hands. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing.” Peter didn’t want to tell James in front of Marlene. “I just think that you should come upstairs to help me look for the textbook.” It was obviously a lie, James knew that Peter knew where his charms textbook was. After all, James threw it at the wall after he tripped on it that morning. 

“Yeah.” James got up “I’ll go help you. Bye Marlene.” He waved and started walking away.

“Wait. What’s wrong?” Marlene called from behind them. 

“What happens if she follows us?” Peter didn’t want her to sneak up from behind them and see what was wrong. He didn’t that Sirius would want others knowing what was happening. 

“She can’t, it’s some type of spell. The stairwell will turn into a slide. It was in Hogwarts: A History.” Peter didn’t have time to dwell on the fact that James was a huge nerd. They were at the door to the dorm when Peter pushed it open James ran into the room. 

“Sirius!” James couldn’t believe what he saw. Sirius had been fine that morning. Now his face was covered in bruises and there was blood white button down. “What happened?” 

“Nothing.” Sirius felt James take his hand, but he couldn’t look up at his friend. James must think that he was so weak, always seeing him at his worst. He couldn’t even imagine what Peter must be thinking about him. 

“This isn't nothing Sirius.” Peter felt himself get angry at Sirius. How did he think that this was nothing? Someone beat him up, that wasn’t nothing. 

“Peter we need to get him to the hospital wing.” 

“No.” Sirius couldn’t go to the matron, he tried to sit up only for James to push him back down. Sirius couldn’t stop the whimper that came when James touched one of the bruises on his chest. 

“Yes,” Peter said to Sirius then looked at James. “We can’t take him through the common room. There are too many people in there.

“That’s why were are going to floo.” James went to search through his trunk and grabbed a small bag of floor powder. 

“Floo?” 

“Yeah, it a mode of-” James started to explain as he handed the bag to Peter. Reaching down to help Sirius sit up. 

“I know what the floo is. Are the fireplaces connected?” Peter nodded at the bathroom door, inside of the bathroom there were two fireplaces. He never looked closely at it, but he imagined that it was big enough to stand in. 

“Maybe.” James moved to the side of the bed where Peter was standing. Together they maneuvered Sirius so that he was standing between both of them. Slowly they walked through the bathroom door to the fireplace, it was a tight fit but all of them were able to stand in it. James used his free hand to take a handful of the floo powder from the bag that Peter was holding.

“Madam Pomfrey’s office!” James yelled clearly while throwing down the floo powder. Green flames roar to life as they traveled through the floo network. He hoped that it wasn’t causing Sirius to much pain. Peter felt himself land into a bigger fireplace inside of an office. Tying to balance himself, they had a fireplace in his living room. But his mother and him only took the floo network once or twice before. 

“What is going on in here?” The matron called out into her office as she was entering, gasping when she saw the sight before her. Sirius could only imagine what she was thinking as the magicked him to the bed. Pulling the curtain around his bed closed to work without his friends watching her. 

 

* * *

 

Sirius woke up in an unfamiliar room, as he looked around he could tell that he was in half of a room. Two of the walls were actually curtains and the other two were brick. He remembered that his friends brought him to the hospital wing, but he didn’t know how long he had been here. 

He moved his head when he heard the door to the room open. If he was still at Hogwarts, maybe he was in a private room as the large sickbay didn’t have any small doors. It a took a moment for Sirius to understand why he wasn’t in pain. The matron must have healed him. He hoped that she wasn’t going to ask who did it. 

“Hello, Mr. Lupin.” Madam Pomfrey said, starling Sirius. Why was Remus in the hospital wing? He said that he was going home to visit his sick mother, that shouldn’t send him to the matron.  “How are your wounds feeling?” Sirius didn’t understand what was happening. Why was Remus injured? He was just going home to visit his family. 

Sirius couldn’t make out what Remus was saying but it was clearly his friend’s voice. 

“That’s good. You should be able to leave soon, in the morning.” It was quiet for a few minutes, Sirius wondered what was happening on the other side of the curtain. He could see shadows of the matron moving around the bed. “Your friend Sirius is on the other side of the curtain.” 

Once again Remus was talking but Sirius couldn’t make out what was being said. 

“Don’t worry. He was sleeping when I check on him last. Your other friends, Messers Potter and Pettigrew flooed into my office, it caused me a large fright. Almost no one uses that fireplace. He also caused Messrs Potter and Pettigrew quite some worry again. I have a feeling that he was attacked in the hallway, but I don’t know by whom. We will not know until he tells us.” Sirius didn’t even worry about her questioning him about who did this. All he was worried about was Remus and what put him in the hospital wing. Did he go here after all his visits home? Did he have a family like Sirius’? As much as Sirius didn’t want to admit it, he would be relieved if Remus had a home life like his. Where the kids are sent to hospitals, even if it meant that Remus was getting hurt. It would mean that Sirius wasn’t alone. That it was semi-normal. That he wasn’t some type of freak. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conversations!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Bullying (first and second section), Child Abuse (first section), Mentions of Domestic Abuse (first section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

James was getting frustrated. No matter how much they had asked Sirius he never told them who did this to him. It was like last time Sirius got beat up. He wondered if this would have happened if Sirius told him what happened last time. 

“I can’t.” Sirius couldn’t get his cousin in trouble. Even if she hadn’t been nice to him in the past she seemed sincere with her last comment. And if he did get her into trouble, when summer came Sirius would get into trouble too. Much more than Cissy would ever get into. 

“Yes, you can!” Remus heard Madam Pomfrey’s heels start to click after James shout. He was still sore but he was let out of the hospital wing early this morning, before going up to the dorms. Acting surprised at the fact that Sirius was in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had informed about Sirius late last night when she was checking his wounds one last time. The moon had been harsh and he was forced to stay for three days. Longer than the other moons that he had at Hogwarts this year. 

“Mr. Potter.” She marched over to James and waved her hands at him. “Out, out, out. If you can’t be quiet then you need to get out.” Peter remembered her telling James to be quiet before. They had been here all day, from seven in the morning to now, which was half-past five. “Go eat dinner, then maybe I’ll let you back in.” She continued to wave at James until he got up, James had a flashback to the times that his mother did the same actions. “You too Mr. Pettigrew.”

“What about Remus?” Peter thought that if they had to leave then so did Remus, but then Sirius would be all alone. 

“Mr. Lupin is currently being respectful to the other patients.” Remus knew how annoying it was to have people yelling in the hospital wing when he was tired and grumpy. He would never make other people have to deal with it. 

“That’s true.” James moved closer to the door of the large hospital room. Apparently, Sirius was in a smaller private room that morning before they had come to visit him. Which made James upset. Sirius must have been really hurt if she had him in a separate room. Or many she wanted to prevent others from knowing, which then made him feel a little bit better. “I’ll see you later, and I’ll bring up some good food. I heard they don’t feed you well up here.” After Sirius’ last hospital stay, he complained about the awful food. It wasn’t that it tasted bad it was boring food. This made Sirius laugh a little bit. “Just think about speaking up. Okay?” James smiled and hoped that Sirius would say something to someone. He couldn’t imagine this happening to Sirius again. Whoever did this to him probably was the one who punched Sirius last time. 

“Bye,” Peter said while waving then turned around to follow James out of the large wooden doors. 

“If you want the work, we have it in the dorm for you.” Sirius had been taking notes for Remus in the classes that the other missed. After the first time that Remus went home to visit his mum, he had spent days in the library trying to make up the work. Since then Sirius had chosen to copy his own notes to give to Remus, even when Sirius and Remus weren’t friends. Friends or not no one should have to spend hours reading textbooks in the library. 

“I know. Peter already pointed them out. He said that you were getting all nerdy on them.”  

“Where were you?” Sirius didn’t know if he was going to question Remus about his disappearance before it came out of his mouth. 

“Wh-What do you mean?” Why was Sirius curious now? Remus had ‘visited his parents’ seven times since the start of the school year. Not including the full moon during the Christmas break. Sirius couldn’t find out about him being a monster, Remus would have to leave Hogwarts and go back home. He didn’t know which was worse, his friends abandoning him or having to spend the rest of his life alone at home. 

“You were in the private room last night.” It was defiantly Remus’ voice, Sirius was one hundred percent sure of that. 

“What room?” Remus hated that his voice wavered. Sirius was going to know he was nervous, that he had something to hide. 

“Last night. You were talking with the matron. You said that you went home to see your mother. But you obliviously came back hurt because you spent time in the hospital wing.” Sirius picked up scared Remus’ hand which is laying on one of Sirius’ blankets playing with the fraying hem. Sirius noticed that Remus stopped wearing the bandages, a few weeks ago. But now there were scars on his hands, the worst was on the tips of his fingers. “Did your parents do it?” Sirius shouldn’t be asking that. If Remus was asking him the same question Sirius would defiantly not give a truthful answer. He doubted that Remus would give on either. 

“It’s not that.” Which was true, his father didn’t do anything to him this time. “It was an accident, I slipped and fell. I broke my arm that’s it.” He did break his arm. Both Remus and Madam Pomfrey didn’t know how he was able to break the bone in a spiral fracture as he did. 

“Okay.” Sirius knew that Remus was lying. Remus was looking away from Sirius now. Something he always did when lying about rather he ate the last of the chocolate or not. 

The door to the hospital wing opened, the hinges creaking in the silence of the room. Multiple sets of footsteps started across the floor. Remus heard Dumbledore’s quiet voice as well as McGonagall’s. 

“Headmaster.” Madam Pomfrey said and her heels joined the sound of steps. “What can I do for you?”

“Hello, Poppy!” His voice sounded joyful, but when he spoke again the light went out of his voice. “I must speak to Mister Black.”

“Why does he need to see me?” Sirius whispered he didn’t want to answer any questions. He couldn’t, it wasn’t worth the trouble that it would cause. Malfoy only had these last few months of the year until him and his group graduate. 

“I don’t know.” Remus heard the three of them continue their conversation quietly. He imagined them huddled up with their arms around each other’s shoulders. Then footsteps returned and the curtain separating Sirius’ room pulled opened. Revealing the professors. 

“Hello Mister Black, I hope that you are feeling better.” Dumbledore and McGonagall came further into the curtained room. Glancing at Sirius and Remus joined hands. “Mister Lupin, if you would please excuse us.” Remus didn’t want to leave. Sirius clearly was nervous about meeting the headmaster without anyone else. Yet he couldn’t stay. The headmaster didn’t want him near Sirius’ bed, but he didn’t say he had to leave the hospital wing entirely. 

“Of course, sir.” Remus turned back to look at Sirius. “I’ll see you soon, maybe by the time your done James and Peter will be finished eating and have your food.” Remus stood up and walked out of the room. Pulling the curtain close choosing to stand right outside of the partitioning. 

“Now, Mister Black.” Sirius didn’t look from where he was staring at the blanket on his lap. But out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Dumbledore in his bright pink and yellow robes sit in the chair that Remus moved from. “You must know that I am quite curious as to how you got these injuries. After all, these wounds aren’t an everyday occurrence.” Sirius stayed silent, he couldn’t answer them, he couldn’t get into trouble. “Mister Potter informed Madam Pomfrey that you got hit a few weeks ago in the corridors. But you didn’t tell them who did that either.” Of course, James would tell her about his past injuries. He was trying to do the right thing but to Sirius, it didn’t feel like a good thing.

“Mister Black. Don’t worry about anyone overhearing our conversation, it is purely confidential. The headmaster has placed a silencing spell, nothing you say has to leave this room.” McGonagall said. 

“We only want to help you, even if you don’t let us punish the student who did this.” Sirius knew that the conversation wasn’t just between them. The headmaster had to punish Malfoy right? And if Malfoy got into trouble, then Cissy could too. And then he would get into so much trouble at home. 

“So.” Sirius’ voice came out all croaky even though he had been talking to his friends all day. It made him sound even worse which made Sirius winced. He didn’t want to sound sick and weak, after all, he felt perfectly fine. “If I tell you then you do it, but you don’t have to punish them.”

“Yes, it isn’t ideal but if that’s the only way you tell us. Then yes they don’t need to be punished.” Dumbledore said, Sirius didn't look up to see his face but the headmaster’s voice sounded sad and sincere. Sirius wondered if Madam Pomfrey had told them about the other injuries he had on his body. The older ones that were from when he was younger and got punished. He hoped not, no one could know, it was bad that the Potter’s already knew but other people. Sirius couldn’t do that. “Do you wish to tell us, Mister Black?”

“No one will get into trouble right?” Sirius confirmed, he couldn’t get Malfoy in trouble. He knew that the Headmaster would want to know that Mafloy did it. But the Slytherin and his friends couldn’t get punished. 

“Correct.” McGonagall reminded him, he briefly shot his eyes up at Dumbledore to see his nodding. 

“It was Malfoy. And Lestrange. And Rosier.” Sirius finished before remembering Cissy, her bruised neck and how she helped him. She couldn’t get into trouble, Cissy did nothing to deserve it. “But not Cis- Narcissa. She wasn’t involved.” Maybe Sirius was braver than he thought. 

 

* * *

 

“I told them.” Sirius was moving around his chow mein noodles. Every Sunday they had different ethnic foods for dinner. Today it must have been Chinese food again. Peter got a bowl of it for Sirius, and he thought that it was pretty good. But Peter said the ones from London’s Chinatown was much better.

“What?” James almost choked on his noodles. Peter and him didn’t stay to eat in the Great Hall, instead choosing to come to eat with their friends. As they were coming in they saw Dumbledore and McGonagall leaving.

“I told Dumbledore and McGonagall who did it.” As long as Malfoy didn’t get into trouble Sirius was okay with telling his friends. 

“Well, who was it then?” Peter wanted to know, they need to protect Sirius. James told him that they weren’t going to let Sirius out of their sight until the school year is finished. 

“It was Malfoy and his friends.” 

“More like followers.” James’ comments made the rest of them laugh. 

“But Cissy didn’t do it.” Sirius knew that only James would know who Cissy is. Even if Peter and Remus would ask questions about her, James needed to know that not all his family was bad. 

“I’m glad.” James didn’t know what he was glad about. Rather that Sirius finally choose to speak up or that Sirius’ cousin didn’t have anything to do with beating him up. Peter and Remus didn’t know who this ‘Cissy’ was but they shared the sentiment, how could they not be glad. Sirius was finally doing something for himself, he was finally putting himself first. That was amazing to all of them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pranking!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't see any topics that are triggering, but if you do please inform me and I'll write down a TW.

This might have been the stupidest thing that Peter ever thought out and that was saying something. After all, he was the one who thought that staying up all night on a Wednesday was a good day. Right now they were being what Remus called idiots, and James thought that it was true. 

“Get down from there right now Potter! You too Pettigrew!” Flitwick yelled from below them. Sirius could see that he was pointing his wand at their beds but still had a smile on his face. Remus was laughing at the professor. From the man’s smile, he was obviously not bothered by them floating in the middle of the corridor. 

It was Peter’s idea, usually, James or Sirius came up with their pranks. So when Peter informed them of his prank plan they were all excited. He said that they could find a loophole in one of the school rules and do that as a prank. Because it wasn’t written in the rules then it would be hard to get them into trouble. Remus went through the rule book and told them about the students out of bed rule. The rule stated that you can’t be out of bed at night. Peter then came up with the idea of using Wingardium Leviosuia to levitate each other's bed throughout the castle. They wouldn’t be out of bed so they wouldn’t be able to get into trouble. 

“Hello, Professor,” Sirius said grinning, and Peter started to float his bed down to the ground. It was much easier to be in trouble when the adult isn’t angry at you. Remus was happy that Peter created such a sound plan. Based on what they were doing when Flitwick caught them they couldn’t get into trouble. 

“What are you lot doing?” James noticed that Flitwick was still smiling and his tone was light. He looked a second away from jumping up and down in excitement. 

“We were going for a midnight fly,” Peter replied if anyone was going to get into trouble, which they weren’t then he wanted it to be himself. 

“But students can’t be out of bed at night.” Remus saw Flitwick's face turned bright red. It didn’t look like his father's angry face though, instead, it looked constipated. “But you weren’t out of bed.”

“Exactly!” Jame exclaimed this feeling wasn’t exactly like the feeling of performing an anonymous prank. Those pranks were exciting because of getting caught. This was exciting because of the fact they weren’t doing anything wrong. 

“We only got out of bed because you told us to. And you made us so we can’t get into trouble.” Peter explained, he knew what Flitwick didn’t need to have it explained to him. But Peter was proud of his idea, he wanted to share it with everyone. 

“Follow me, the house elves will return your beds to your dorm room.” Flitwick turned around and the four boys marched behind him. They traveled all the way up to a small office with an unlit fireplace. Inside a tired looking McGonagall who was dressed in a tartan long nightgown and her hair in curlers. Around her body was a Gryffindor themed bathrobe. Flitwick had clearly needed to wake her up. Which made James feel kind of sad but yet seeing your professor in her curlers is kind of worth it. 

“What could you boys possibly be up to at.” She performed a time charm and the time appeared in the air. “At three forty-seven in the morning?”

“Minerva, I found these boys wandering around the corridors.” Flitwick begone but McGonagall cut him off. 

“Then give them detentions and send them back to bed.”

“That’s the problem. They were wondering the halls in floating beds.” The look of McGonagall's face was hilarious. She looked upset, disappointed and amazed all at the same time. Sirius didn’t want to get into more trouble so he held in his laugh, while Peter and James didn’t succeed as much. 

“What?” McGonagall spluttered. Remus imagined that this would have been the first time that this situation ever happened to her. “Sit down boys, this is going to be a long conversation.” She waved her wand and four plush red chairs flew into place in front of her desk. 

“We didn’t do anything wrong,” Peter said. “The rule says no students out of bed at night, but we weren’t out of bed.” Sirius was proud of Peter, he was really good at dealing with frustrated adults. Sirius would never be able to be this calm around adults who weren’t in a good mood. 

“That’s true Minerva. They were using the levitation charm to fly their beds in the hallway. It’s advanced magic to make such a large object float, let alone fly.” This was true, James was the first one to be able to do flout his bed in the dorm. And he still took weeks to get its feet off of the ground. It took even longer to be able to fly them around the room. Then another few days to learn how to perform the charm to make the beds hit other objects softly. 

“I guess. But you should still get into trouble.”

“But we didn’t break any rules,” Remus said he knew this. After all, all of them had read the rule book at least five times each. There were no rules about being out in the corridors at night, only one about being out of bed. 

“Ugh.” McGonagall groaned, she must have been so conflicted. Peter knew that she couldn’t give them detentions. They didn’t break any rules, but she still must have wanted to punish them. 

“How about points taken away, but no detentions,” Flitwick suggested, Sirius imagined that he must have been tired too. After all, he was on the night shift walking down the hallway looking for students that weren’t there. 

“That’s a good idea Filius. House points are taken off for disturbing the peace but no detentions or other punishment.” She turned to face the boys instead of Flitwick. “Fifty points off from Gryffindor for each of you. And ten points to each of you for coming up with such a ridiculous loophole. Now of to bed.” She stood and pulled her bathrobe tighter around her body. “But make sure that you are in the dorms this time.” The boys started to laugh once they were in the hallway. Partly from exhaustion and the other part from the rush of a prank well done. 

 

* * *

 

“Hello, hello!” Dumbledore's voice bursts through the newly silent of the Great Hall. All the remaining students were listening. As it was uncommon for the headmaster to give announcements in the morning. “As some of you might have seen on the notice boards this morning. There are new rules about students being out of bed at night. Now the rule has changed to all students being out of their common rooms or dorms at night. Unless you are actively searching for a teacher due to an emergency or you have Astronomy. You mustn’t be out of the common room past eleven fifteen.” Sirius looked at James and started to laugh, this rule must have been created because of them. It felt amazing to create a new rule. James needed to write his father about this, he would love to hear about it, after all, he didn’t get into any trouble. 

“You brats!” Lily Evens called down from a few seats away. “You’re the ones who lost us all those house points!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ramadan and suspicion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't see anything that needed a TW but if you see something please inform me, I just want everyone to be safe.

“James, why are you up so early?” Peter looked over at the clock on the wall to see that it wasn’t even nine in the morning, way too early to wake up on a Saturday. He looked over to see that the curtains were still drawn around Sirius’ bed while Remus was reading on his. They went to a study group last night from midnight to three in the morning for astronomy. Their exams were in six days and now it was a miracle that Remus wasn’t living in the library. But once the review session was over, Peter went straight back to the dorm to sleep. 

“Pete.” Remus sounded disappointed. “It’s nine.” He didn’t know why his friends didn’t study more. He would have been in the library right now but the library didn’t open up until half-past ten. So he was stuck in the dorm until that time, it wasn’t that he didn’t like his friends. But he needed to study into order to pass his exams. Remus didn’t know if you would be able to attend Hogwarts in September if you failed the exams.

“Ugh. Where’s Sirius?” If Peter had to wake up without only six hours of sleep then so did Sirius.

“Sleeping.” 

“Why?” Peter started to get out of them, he was grateful that it was June and that the floor was no longer ice cold on his bare feet. 

“Because he stayed up with me.” While Peter went up to the dorm to sleep, Sirius and Remus accompanied James to the Great Hall for suhoor. Which started around four in the morning, long enough to drop their bags in the dorm room and then go eat. There weren’t many other people there, so few that there was only a round table instead of the five long tables. Some professors were there. Including Dumbledore and the head of houses, along with the other Muslim students and their friends. “So did Remus, but he apparently finds studying more important than sleeping.”

“Why?” Peter walked over to Sirius’ bed and pulled back the curtains. Sirius was tangled up in the sheets, little bags underneath his eyes. Turning back to face James, he studied his friends face to see matching marks. “Did you even fall asleep ?” 

“I didn’t go to bed. James did but woke up around eight..” Remus answered instead of James, who finally looked up from his book. Peter could see the large purple bags around his eyes. Remus hadn’t been sleeping as much as anyone in the dorm. He needed to study and if the other boys didn’t then that’s their problem. 

“Why?” Peter was drawing a blank. He didn’t remember anything that they had to stay awake for. Did they pull a prank without him?

“I had to go eat before the sunrise. The meal is called suhoor, and Remus and Sirius came along with me.” Peter had a confused look on his face, maybe it was from his lack of sleep or having no idea what James was talking about. “It’s for Ramadan, today is the first day.” 

“Oh, your holiday?” Peter remembered James talking about it multiple times. During Hanukkah and Easter, but he didn’t know that it was now. 

“Yeah, it lasts a whole month.” James went over to his trunk and started to rummage around in it. 

“What’s suhoor?” James finished fishing books out of his trunk.  Placing them on his bedside table before laying down on his bed, his head facing Peter. 

“So, for Ramadan, you need to fast from sunup to sunset. Which is long in the summer months and short in the winter months. The meal in the morning before the sunrise is called suhoor, and the one after sunset is iftar.” James continued to explain about Ramadan. He felt happy that Peter wanted to learn about that was so important to him. Peter on his part was happy to. He was grateful that his friends would be so open with him. He wondered about telling his friends about his dyslexia. But he remembered all of the mean comments people like Jonah said and dismissed it. Teaching your friends about your culture is totally different than telling your friends that you can't read. He couldn't risk losing his friends. 

 

* * *

 

“I don’t remember. I might have been at home when you learned it.” Remus replied not even taking his eyes off of the eyepiece for the telescope. It wasn’t even a real class, more like a study session that was hosted by the teacher herself. Currently, it was midnight and a bunch of students. Every house and all years were stuffed in the astronomy tower studying for the exams. Remus knew that it was a full moon, he had a copy of James’ notes after all. But he didn’t want to seem weird about know the exact days he was out, and he was to busy looking at the sky. He had to focus and he had to do good on his exams or else Dumbledore wouldn’t let him come back in September. 

“Yeah, I think so too,” James said while taking a bite of his sandwich. Professor Sinistra almost wouldn’t let him bring it until James told her about fasting for Ramadam. “On my notes, it says to make a copy for Remus. I must have written it down to remember.” The four of them were talking about the location of the position of Pluto in December. 

Sirius went back to his charts, and say the date that was written on the top of the paper ‘March twenty-second’. It was a habit of his to date all his notes. Sometimes Peter called him a nerd about having his notes organized by the day that they were written on. Sirius agreed with that comment but he wouldn’t tell Peter that, but the date sparked a piece in Sirius’ memory. 

Sirius flipped to that school years’ full moon chart. March twenty-second was on the chart as a full moon. He tried to remember the other dates that Remus missed, but he couldn’t place all the dates. The only one he could remember the twenty-second of April when Sirius was in the hospital wing and so was Remus. Sirius looked down at the paper again and the twentieth was a full moon. Two days before Sirius saw Remus in the hospital wing. 

“Hey, Sirius,” Remus said from Sirius’ left. “Do you have those notes on Venus?” Remus must have left them in the dorm. He had been studying astronomy last night as he looked out of the dorm window. Peter made a joke about how Remus was going to fall out of the window because most of Remus’ upper body out of the window. 

“Yeah,” Sirius grumbled and passed the paper to Remus having a new mission. The next time that Remus left to go visit his mum. Rather it is this year or next school year, he needed to write it down. He grabbed a scrap piece of parchment and started to write down the dates Sirius was sure that Remus was missing on. Something was going on and Sirius had to figure it out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing. In this chapter there is many mentions of religion, if I get anything wrong please tell me and I'll change it.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exams!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't see anything that needed a TW, but if you do please inform me. I just want everyone to be safe.

Peter turned to flash a reassuring smile at Remus, but it came out as an unsupportive smirk. It was the first day of exams and the other boy looked like he was going to drop on the floor and start to cry. Sure, Peter felt nervous, these exams were important. But it wasn’t like they were OWLs or NEWTs. James agreed with Peter. There wasn’t anything to be nervous about, they had been studying for months and would all do fine. Remus, on the other hand, was freaking out, he had to do good. He couldn’t risk getting kicked out. The Great Hall door slammed open to reveal the headmaster in bright orange robes and Flitwick by his side. 

“Hello, students!” Flitwick’s voice boomed through the silent atrium. There were so many students that the doors were open and students were spilling out onto the courtyard. “Today is the Charms end of year exam, as you should know already. This will be an example of how the rest of the two weeks will be set up. If you need the examination schedule then look on your new board in your common rooms. Each year will be separated into different rooms where you will wait until the Great Hall is free. Then your proctor will walk you down to the Great Hall where you will wait until your name. This is when you’ll take your physical exams. Fifth and seventh years will be placed in the Great Hall together to take their OWLs and NEWTs. Once they are finished then the physical exams will start for everyone. I wish you all good luck on your exams.”

 

* * *

 

“I don’t think that they were that hard,” James said into the dorm, not knowing if anyone would answer him. Remus was at home, which seemed weird to James, after all, they only had one more week of school left. Couldn’t Remus wait to see his mother until then? While Sirius was throwing crumpled up pieces of paper at Peter’s head. Who was on the ground reading a book his grandmother had given him. Peter said that it was urgent to read the book. As he was visiting Spain again during the summer and she would be asking him all these questions about it. James thought that it was cool how the book as written in Braille, and it was even better how it was Spanish Braille.

“Me too,” Sirius said, he finally stopped his game and turned to face James. 

“The physical stuff is easy, we do that all the time.” James felt upset that he had spent so much time studying theories. To just do spells and answer verbal questions. Peter was happy that there wasn’t any reading. He didn’t know if the professors would allow him to do anything different for his dyslexia. 

Last week the charms exam was on Thursday and transfiguration on Friday. For the charms exam, they had to charm a book to move from one side of the table to another using any spell they wanted to. For the transfiguration exam, they had to transform a young chicken into a small pillow and back. They had the rest of their exams over the span of this week.  On Monday they had herbology, they had to identify and answer questions about a given plant. During the Tuesday defense exam, they had to identify creatures from pictures. Wednesday they had a history of magic exam where they had to answer questions about wizards up until five hundred BC. Thursday was potions and they needed to brew a boils cure potion from memory. Last night, Friday, they had to locate all the planets and draw the location on a piece of parchment. 

“I can’t believe that it’s almost the end of the school year.” Peter mounded and shoved his face into his open book. It wasn’t that he didn’t want school to not end, he was really excited for the break. But the school year went past so fast and he didn’t want to leave his friends. Sending owls wasn’t the same, his mother told him to send Amor to his grandma’s house for the summer. Which would allow him to contact his friends. 

“You know, we need to have a big prank.” James had been thinking of what to do, but he didn’t have any idea. “Men, any thoughts?” The word ‘men’ made a bad taste in Sirius’ mouth but he ignored it. Instead thinking of any pranks that they could take part in. 

“No. My brain’s fried.” It was true, Sirius had spent so much time studying that it felt like he couldn’t even think. 

“Same.” James’ brain was also dead. 

“We can ask Remus when he gets back. Are you ready to go eat?” Peter asked, leaning on his elbows to face James. They had made a habit of all of them waking up to go to suhoor and waiting for iftar to go with James. Even though they had already eaten. It was around ten at night and James was ready to go break the fast. It had been almost two weeks now so the fasting was getting easier. But James was still looking forward to eating. 

“Yeah.” Sirius got up from his bed then moved to his table and wrote down the date. It was the seventeenth and Remus was once again missing. Until Peter had mentioned it Sirius had forgotten that Remus even left. Lately, he was always in the library until they went to iftar. On the piece of parchment, he had written down all the full moons until next June. And today's date matched the day of the full moon. He looked up to see Peter heading out of the door. Into the loud hallway, the older years must have been celebrating finishing their exams. But the three of them had no interest in the party. “Hey! Wait up!” Sirius sprinted out of the room, the door slamming behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing. I mentioned religious themes in this chapter so please inform me if I got anything wrong.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pranking and important conversations!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of homophobia (second section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

“Hey, Remus.” The four of them were sitting outside underneath a big oak tree. They had just gotten out from History of Magic and everyone but James was eating lunch. James still didn’t know what prank they were going to do. During the summer he was going to have to ask his father about what pranks they could do next year. Remus had gotten back early this morning and James didn’t have time to ask his thoughts. “Do you have any ideas about a prank we could do?” 

“For what?” They hadn’t been talking about pranks before the full moon. Remus guessed that they wanted to prank the feast that was going to take place on Saturday. The last prank they had been talking about was a small one on the Slytherins. They had charmed small paper hearts to float behind the Slytherins all day on Valentines Day. Similar to the books and the Ravenclaws. It was funny but it took a few days in the library to find the correct long lasting spell. 

“When you were visiting your mum, we started to think of a prank to pull at the feast. But we don’t know what to do.” Peter agreed with James, none of them were able to come up with an idea throughout the weekend. He wondered if the Muggle library had books about pranks. 

“Well, it should be surprising.” Remus put down his book, he clearly wasn’t going to be able to read. But then again that’s what the summer would be for. 

“Well, Remus I never thought that that,” James replied sarcastically placing his hand over his heart. 

“Oh! I know.” Sirius shot up from where he was laying on the ground, looking up at the sky. If it was a winter night he would have been able to see his star. Sinstra said that they would be study stars next year and he was so excited. “We need to do something Muggle, no one will expect it.”

“That’s a good idea.” Peter was thinking of all the Muggle pranks he knew but he couldn’t think of one. He never pulled a prank before Hogwarts and in his school, no one did either. “I don’t any Muggle pranks though.”

“Neither do I." James and his father did some pranks without magic but not many. He would have the house-elves to use their magic. Sirius didn’t even have to say anything. It was obvious that he wouldn’t know any Muggle pranks. They all knew that his parents kept him away from Muggle things. After the winter break, Peter brought back a rubber duck he had bought in Madri. Sirius ended up throwing the thing at the wall because its eyes were staring into his sole. Peter said that it was impossible but Sirius knew that it was true. 

“I know,” Remus remembered the boys back in the village pranking their school. He overheard some adults talking about it when he went shopping. “Some of these kids back home pranked their school by putting cups of water in the floor. They covered all the hallways in the cups and no one could walk through it before they cleared the hallway. Apparently, there were so many cups that the school had to postpone for two hours. Until the hallways were empty.”

“You went to Muggle school?” Sirius was amazed, why hadn’t Remus tell them this. What was Muggle school like? Was it the same as Hogwarts, just without the magic? Peter explained his Muggle school. But Sirius wondered if the schools were any different between Scotland and Wales.

“No. I was homeschooled.” Remus didn’t know that it was normal for wizard’s children to be homeschooled. But apparently, a lot of other people at Hogwarts were homeschooled.  Including Sirius and James. No one had created an elementary school for young wizards yet. 

“That doesn’t matter now.” James was relieved and happy, it was stressful to plan a prank but yet when it worked out it was so fun. “We have our prank!”

 

* * *

 

“Hello, students,” Hudson said to the energetic classroom, Sirius wondered why he was even trying. It was the last Thursday before the break. They only had three days until they left on the Hogwarts express. And all the Gryffindor first years hadn’t been listening in any of their other classes. To be honest, the four of them hadn’t been either, as they were to busy talking and planning out their prank. “Most of you have heard of this new from others, but if you have not then I will inform you know. I will not be returning for the fall term.” A few students started to rumble complaints, to the four of them this was new information. They hadn’t been in the common room much. As they were busy scheming and enjoying the warm Scottish weather out by the lake. 

“Why?” Josef exclaimed. 

“Yeah!” Lily called out too. “Your a great professor.” Remus didn’t know Lily that well, they might have been considered friends as they had interacted a lot in the past. But it was mainly for school work that he was making up. During all the study sessions Lily had complained about Remus hanging out with Sirius and James. But he had to admit though that Hudson was a good teacher. He would also explain concepts to Remus that he missed due to the full moons and never looked down on his for being a monster. 

“Is he serious?” James whispered to where Remus and Sirius was sitting. The two of them always had to sit next to each other in classes as well. After James banished Sirius to the other side of the Gryffindor table. They continued to sit next to each other in classes. But after an accident involving Sirius’ elbow and James’ ink pot, Sirius was once again moved to sit next to Remus. Professor Hudson’s classroom was organized into aisles. Where James and Peter were sitting on the right of the aisle and Sirius and Remus to the left. 

“No. I’m Sirius. He’s Professor Hudson.” Sirius whispered back making his friends laugh. He had been waiting to tell this joke all year but the situation never had come up until now. 

“Calm down Miss Evans, you too Mx. Holland. Or I’m not able to explain.” The classroom was back to its quiet state, but the students were no longer bored. “As you might know, I have a boyfriend names Icras. He’s been living in England during the school year, but a week ago there was a house fire.” Someone gasped but Sirius didn’t know who, instead he was in shock. How was Hudson talking about his homosexuality so openly? It was supposed to be a bad thing, but then again knowing his parents they would have lied about it. “Don’t worry he’s fine. He went to the hospital for smoke inhalation, and minor burns that’s it. But because of this, we are moving somewhere else. It has always been a dream of ours to travel around the world, and that is something we are going to do now.”

“Where are you going?” Marlene asked James wanted to know too. He loved to travel and he felt like it would be so cool to be travel around the world with the person that you loved. 

“Well, we don’t know yet. Where ever the world takes us.” Hudson took a deep breath and waited a moment before he started to pace from onside of the room to the other. Sirius didn’t know what the professor was thinking about but it was clearly freaking him out. “I’ve been thinking about something very hard recently. Now that I’m leaving I have chosen to do it. In nineteen sixty-nine, so about three years ago, there was a riot in New York City. Which was where I live when I was in America. The riot happened at the Stonewall Inn, and it marked a big point in my community. In the gay community.” This wasn’t what James thought that Hudson was going to talk about. It wasn’t that being gay was a bad thing, but it was looked down upon in the Wizarding World. Hudson flicked his wand at the chalkboard and writing appeared, he started to read the board. 

“LGBT. It stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. Now, most of your parents wouldn’t want me to tell you about this. They might think that you are too young or that it’s wrong. But you need to know this so that at least one of you doesn’t have to wonder about who you are. So that you already know that there’s a community of people just like you. Gay, or homosexual, means that you are attracted to the same gender, so men liking men. Lesbian is the same thing, homosexual, but it's specified for women who like women. Bisexual means that you like two different genders, men and women or men and nonbinary people. Transgender is a person who was born and assigned a gender at birth but it was the wrong one. Some of them choose to transition and some don’t. There are other identities in the LGBT community, but I don’t have time to inform you of all them.” Hudson once again waved his wand and booklets flew through the air and landed in front of all the students. Remus looked down at the front cover it had a picture of a rainbow flag, but it wasn’t moving so it must have been a Muggle book. He wondered about if Hudson was talking with all of the years and all of the houses. Remus couldn’t believe what some of the Slytherins reactions would have been to this class. “You are free to take those booklets for yourself, or for a friend. In fact, I encourage you too.”

“Now!” Hudson clapped his hands in front of him and the board eased itself.” Who wants to go over the answers to the exams?” The room once again erupted into chatter. It might have been Peter’s favorite thing about these last classes. All the students were excited and he didn’t have to worry about his grade on the exam when he knew all the right answers. 

By the end of the class, Sirius was still confused, not about the exam but about Hudson. How could he talk about this so openly? As they were walking out of the room many students left the book on their tables. Including Peter, clearly not wanting anything to do with it. Quickly once his friends were ahead of his he stuffed the book into the bag. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my wiring.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conversations about End-of-Year Pranks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of Child Abuse (first and second section) If any of these topics will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

“So what are you doing for the break?” Peter said looking up from the book that was sitting on the floor in front of him. It wasn’t that they needed to study for exams anymore. But they needed to find a spell that would allow them to make water for their prank. They had been reading for the last two hours. But they still had plenty of time in Peter’s opinion even if there were only two days until the end of year feast. 

“I’m going to India.” James was really excited about this, he had been to India before but only a few times when he was younger. The other boys knew how excited he was about this too. After all, he hadn’t stopped talking about it since they came back from winter break. 

“Oh James. We totally didn’t know.” Sirius interrupted sarcastically. It wasn’t like he was trying to be mean but it was hard to hear your friends talk about how amazing their breaks are going to be. When yours is going to be awful. 

“Shh. Mum and dad want to go look at wizarding schools in India. Apparently, there isn’t a large wizarding school for most of Asia. They either have to go to the school in Russia or Japan. What are you doing Peter.”

“I’m going to Spain again. My mum wants to go to visit my family again and stay longer this time. What are you doing?” Peter sat up from where he was laying on his stomach and closed his book. It seemed like they wouldn’t be reading any time soon. 

“Nothing.” Sirius knew what he was going to be doing. Absolutely nothing in the comfort of his room, occasionally getting into trouble. Sirius glance at James, who was sitting on the other side of the room, and locked eyes. James must know what was going to happen over the break. “I’m going to see Reg though, which is nice. Remus?”

“Me too.” Remus wasn’t doing anything except for turning into a monster twice and be around his father even more. 

“You're seeing Sirius’ brother too? Wow, that kid gets a lot of attention.” James grinned, failing to hold back a laugh. 

“No, you weirdo.” Sometimes Remus really loved his friends. But the nagging thoughts were still hanging in the back of his head.

 

* * *

 

“Why aren’t you going on a vacation?” Remus said, his voice echoing in the mostly empty bathroom. James and Peter were asleep, while they were still awake and reading the same books as yesterday. Sirius was the first one to use the bathroom as a personal study space. James woke up to find Sirius sitting on the bathroom tile. With a scroll of parchment and a transfiguration textbook in front of him. “Your family is rich right? Wouldn’t your family be able to?” 

“Yeah, we have enough money. We are actually going to France for a few days. My father has some ministry party to go to in Paris.” Sirius wasn’t excited to go, he had gone to these parties since he had been able to walk. They were no longer exciting. Instead, the parties were just another place for his parents to put him and Reg down. Talking about all the bad things that they have done. Sirius wondered what his parents would be saying this summer, him being a Gryffindor. “I’ve been there many times though, so it’s not exciting anymore. Just the same thing over and over again. Have you been to France before?”

“No, I haven’t. I’ve never even been to Ireland before. Only to Scotland and England, we don’t have a lot of money to rent out portkeys or to take Muggle aeroplanes.” Remus remembered his mother explaining how they didn’t have enough money to go on a vacation. Or to even go anywhere fun. “But going to France sounds fun. Even if you’ve gone there a bunch before.” 

“Yeah, I guess it is.” Sirius looked back down at the book in his lap, but he couldn’t focus on it. Remus’ dad was Lyall Lupin, he worked in the ministry, it didn’t make sense that Remus’ family didn’t have money. Ministry jobs paid a lot of money alone. Maybe they were in debt? But there wasn’t anything he could do about that so he went back to the book, trying to find what they needed. 

Hours passed as the boys sat on the ground, they didn’t have anything do to in the morning after all. They only had a day left until the feast, and they weren’t any closer at finding the spell to use. 

“Oh my God, oh my God! Remus! I found it!” Sirius shouted into the quiet air and swung open the bathroom door. He knew what they should do to get the water in the cups, and it didn’t have anything to do with a spell. 

“Wait, Sirius,” Remus called quietly, the chance that James and Peter were still sleeping was low but he still didn’t want to risk it. Peter was scary when he was woken up in the middle of the night. 

“James! Peter! Wake up!” Sirius jumped onto James’ bed and started to shake his shoulders. 

“What do you want?” James mumbled into the pillow underneath his face. He had no idea what time it was or what Sirius wanted, but he did know that no one should have to wake up at this time. 

“Sirius, be quieter. You’re going to wake up the whole tower.” 

“Okay.” Sirius slid off of the bed and throw himself onto Peters bed and placed his lips near Peter’s ears. “Wake up!”

“Hhm,” Peter grumbled. He felt Sirius weight on top of him, which wasn’t a lot, and tried to wiggle out from underneath him. “Let me go.” 

“Wake up!” Peter opened his eyes to see the dark room in front of him. The only light source was entering the room form the bathroom. “What time is it?”

“Three,” James said after turning on the room lights and reading the clock on the wall had. He to sit on Sirius’ bed, next to Peter's. 

“Why-” 

“Peter. I found out what we can do.” Sirius interrupted, Peter sat up quickly. He didn’t want to know why Sirius was up at three thinking about the prank. But right now it was so much more important than sleeping. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> End-of-year pranks!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't see any TW but if anyone does please inform me and I'll add the warnings.

“Which is why you need to help us.” James ended his speech, looking at the house elves with his pretend puppy eyes. Peter found it kind of ridiculous. The house elves would have helped anyway, after all, they always did. “Please.” 

“Yes, Master,” Kody said his face glowing with joy. Remus wondered how many times the house elves were actually talked to in a school year. The house elves were only in the common rooms at night and dorms during class times. Unless a student knew about the kitchen no one would see them. They must have felt lonely. Remus felt a bit of remorse. The house elves were ordered to do the students biding all the time without anything in return. They might not have been human, but they weren’t monsters like he was. So they didn’t deserve to be thanked? “We’ll do it today just before the end of year feast.”

“Thank you, Kody!” James turned around to the other three boys who were standing behind him. Whenever they were all down in the kitchen. James always did the talking as the house elves seemed to like him the most. Maybe they knew Binney. Did house elves even communicate with each other? “Do you want to go outside?” He asked as they started to walk towards the portrait. James always liked to be outside during the summer. But he was thinking that Sirius would love to go sit under their tree. Everyday Sirius had been bouncing off the walls in their dorm until they went to the lawn. James understood that though, the Black’s didn’t seem like the parents to let their kids outside a lot. 

“Yeah!” Sirius speed up his leisurely pace to walk a little bit faster. “We can go over the prank again.” 

“Sirius be quiet.” Remus put in. Even with the limited days left in the year, he didn’t want to get caught. Would they have to perform the detentions at the first of term? What if he didn’t come back? “People might overhear us.” 

“Okay.”

 

* * *

 

“Professor Dumbledore!” McGonagall's voice angry rang out from the doors of the Great Hall. Peter tried not to laugh, it had been his idea to seal the doors shut. Not enough for the professors to not open it but enough that the lower years couldn’t. It had been a simple spell that Flitwick showed that year and Remus remembered and casted it on the door. McGonagall must have thought that it would have been a more complicated spell. As she had been casting charms long enough for her to become frustrated. 

“Yes, Professor McGonagall?” Dumbledore breathlessly asked. James thought that the headmaster was holding back his laugh. And elbowed Peter in the side when the other had giggled. The whole mass of people who were waiting for the doors to open. Saw the entirety of the floor, tables, and benches covered with multicolored cups full of water. The ones of the floor were black, and the tables had corresponding cups matching the house colors. 

It had been simple once Sirius came up with the idea to ask the house elves to place the cups. They were looking for water spells. When in reality the house elves could just magic the cups and water onto the surfaces in the Great Hall. Kody and his friends were happy to help once James talked them into it. After all, they could never say no to James. 

“Who did this?” McGonagall called out into the crowd once she turned to face them. Her face was red which made Sirius want to laugh but he had to hold it back to prevent a meeting with James’ bony elbows. 

“It’s fine Professor, just some last minute fun. It seems to me that we have a new prankster in this school.” Remus saw Dumbledore's eye fall on Harley and the Prewett twin. Then jump back to the whole group “They caused no harm.” He spun on his heels and waved his wand pointing into the Great Hall. “Evanesco Specula, all gone. Come on in students we have a celebration to get to.”

“That wasn’t any fun,” Sirius muttered out the side of his mouth as they made their way to the Gryffindor table. 

“I know they couldn’t have least split it,” James replied as he was lifting his leg up and over the wooden bench. “Then we wouldn’t have to see Slytherin win the house cup.” They all looked up at the hourglasses. Slytherin by far had the most points. Then Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and in last Gryffindor. 

“I feel bad now.” Peter said, “It was my idea and we weren’t able to gain it back.” The house Gryffindor house had tried, the four of them extremely hard. To get back the lost points but they weren’t able to when the other houses were also getting points. 

“You should have gotten him in trouble Sirius.” Everyone knew who James was talking about, Malfoy and his group. 

“Drop it, James.” Sirius didn’t want to talk about this, he didn’t even want to think about it. 

“Wh-” 

“Hello, students!” Dumbledore interrupted, James ended with a sigh there wasn’t any reason to say it now. Slytherin was going to win regardless of Sirius reporting the incident or not. “Sadly this is the last time we will be meeting like this for the term, and I’m happy for everyone to be here. You have finished your exams. Rather it is the end of year finals, OWLS or NEWTS it matters not. All that matters is that you are sitting here with us. All year long you had been working towards academic success. As well as your own personal achievements. These achievements and successes had been monitored all year. And points have been awarded to your houses in return. The house with the most points and the winner of the house cup is Slytherin!” Dumbledore waved his arm in front of him and the Hogwarts banners decorating the room changed to green and silver. The Slytherin table erupted into loud cheers. Sirius knew that they must have been excited. His parents had told him all the time over the summer that Slytherin hadn’t won the house cup in years. Instead, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had been the winners for the past years. “Hufflepuff came in second, Ravenclaw in third and Gryffindor in last.” James saw Lily give them a dirty look. Which made him feel a bit guilty, it wasn’t just them who were losing. There were others who wanted to win. “Seventh years remember the party tonight. Make sure to leave room for those good snacks. Now with all this excitement out of the way. You may now feast!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Child Abuse (first and second section), Mentions of Domestic Abuse (fourth section)  
> If this topic will trigger you then please don't read. I'll be happy to explain the section that mentions it to who ever asks.

“I’m going to miss you guys so much!” James cried he was surprised that he wasn’t actually crying. For a moment James wondered if crying a lot was passed through generations. But then he was sad again that he wouldn't be able to talk with his friends. Long distance owls could travel from the UK to India, but it would talk a while. 

“We can always write when your back in England,” Peter said. He was also upset that he wasn’t going to be able to talk with his friend but at least he could send a letter to Sirius and Remus. He hoped that Remus’ Muggle mum was okay with the owl post. It would be scary having an owl slam into the closed window. 

“I know. But that's a long time from now.” 

“I need to leave now,” Remus said, his train to Wales was departing in an hour and he still needed to get his ticket and board. 

“I’ll send you a letter.” Peter patted Remus on the shoulder and looked at the watch on his wrist. “I should get going too. There’s a portkey leaving at midnight. And I still need to pack everything for the whole summer.”

“I’ll write to you both when I get back!” James said as he helped Peter pull his trunk down from the racks. 

“Bye James I hope you have a good trip. I’ll write to you Sirius. You too Peter.” Remus said, he probably wouldn’t be able to have free time to write. Between his father, helping his mother, and the full moons, he predicted that he would be busy. 

“Bye!” James shouted out the open doorway, then as the door was sliding closed turned to Sirius. “Sirius.” He hesitated. How could he bring up the topic of Sirius’ parents? One can’t just say, ‘hey if your parents hit you too much or make you go into anaphylactic shock you know where to find me!’. Then go off to India with no form of quick communication. 

“It’s okay James. Go have a good break.” Sirius got up from where he was sitting to get his trunk from above him. 

“No.” James retched out, put his hands on to Sirius’ shoulder. Ignoring his flinch, spun him around and pulled him into a hug. Sirius froze underneath him, and James wondered if Sirius had ever gotten hugged before. “It’s not okay.” James pulled away so that Sirius was an arm's length away. “I’ll be back in August, you're welcomed at my house if it gets to be too much. The owl will take forever but it doesn’t matter. Send me one if you need to.” He wished that the British Floo network connected to the network in India. Then the communication barrier would be destroyed. 

“Thanks, James. I’ll write to you in August.” Sirius gave him a reassuring smile and pulled away to grab his trunk. The train gave out a large blare of the horn, telling all the remaining passengers to disembark. 

 

* * *

 

Sirius said his last goodbyes to James and walked out of the compartment. Pulling his trunk behind him. He didn’t know if his parents were going to be here, they might have left him stranded to find his own way home. Or maybe they wouldn’t let him go back home. They might have been that mad at his escape during the winter holidays and not want him to ever come back. Sirius left the train and stood on the platform for a second. Looking around until he spotted his parents.  His parents were standing in the back, the crowd of parents were keeping a large distance from the Blacks. Sirius wondered if they had said anything. Or if the strangers were smart enough to realize that the Blacks weren’t friendly. To anyone other than Sirius his mother and father wouldn’t have looked angry. They had a resting stoic face, but yet Sirius had stared at those faces to many ties during punishments. They were angry, it might have been about him running away or his grades on his finals. Or maybe McGonagall told them about all the detentions that year. 

“Hurry up, we don’t have all day.” His father sneered, as Sirius walked up to them slowly. He didn’t think that he was ready for this. His father snatched his arm and Sirius barely had time to reply before they were apparating. 

“What are these?” Sirius wasn’t even balanced when his mother shoved him into the wall, his trunk handle falling out of his hands. “What are these grades?” His mother whispered again, Sirius didn’t know why she was being so quiet. Maybe she was afraid that Regulus would hear them. The hallway didn’t have any silencing spells that he was aware of. 

“I di-” He started to say, he didn’t think that he did bad on his exams. When they went over the test together in classes Sirius swore that he did alright. 

“Look at this Sirius.” His father ripped a piece of parchment out of his pocket and shoved it into Sirius’ hands. He scanned the paper, the worst grade was Acceptable in History of Magic. Along with an Exceeds Expectations in Herbology and Potions. “Blacks are not failures. Regulus could have done better than you and he’s ten.” 

“Get upstairs now. We’ll deal with you after dinner.” Sirius felt pain explode in his arm when his mother grabbed and twisted his left wrist. Pushing him towards his trunk. Using his other arm he pulled his trunk up the stairs, the tears of pain burning in his eyes. 

 

* * *

 

“Peter!” His mum called when he was about 5 meters away, she had finally turned to where he was walking up from. 

“Mum.” Peter hurried his pace and let go of his trunk to throw his arms around his mother. It felt like forever since he had seen her. 

“Oh, Peter.” His mum pulled away and started to comb down his flyaway hair. “You've grown so much.”

“It’s so good to see you.” He was really happy to see her and he was excited to go visit his family again. Even if he only saw them a few months ago. 

“You too baby.” She took hold of his trunk and Peter grabbed her had, and left that awful feeling of apparition. “Do you want something to eat?” She said once they had both gotten their balance. Peter never got used to that feeling of being compressed into a tube. He looked up at the clock above the table to see that it was five in the afternoon.

“Yes please.” It wasn’t late at all, but after having no lunch and only candy since seven in the morning Peter was quite hungry. 

“It’ll be a while honey. You should go and start packing. I’ll call you down when I’m finished.”

“Okay, thanks mum.” Peter walked into the living room, it had been almost nine months since he was last there. So many things had changed, he felt like a new person. He had new friends, a new attitude. And most of all new magic, a type that he was able to control. As much as he enjoyed Hogwarts, he was ready for the summer and to see his family again. Peter couldn’t wait. 

 

* * *

 

Remus had been annoyed from the moment he had left the train compartment. There were so many people on the Hogwarts platform. Some pushing at him, others yelling across the crowds to loved ones. The sounds and smells of the pets were all mixing together to give him a headache. The only ticket for the train back to Wales was in a compartment where another family sat. With a crying baby and a fussy toddler. But when he was finally able to meet his mother at the train station everything started to look better. 

The contrast between the Welsh platform and the one at nine and three quarters was inestimable. There must have only been twenty people on the platform once the major crowd had dispersed. It was a quiet, peaceful outdoor platform and there was his mum. 

“Hey, mum.” Remus tried to manage a small smile. His migraine had worsened during the last hour of the ride and it hurt to move and keep his eyes open. “How are you?”

“Remus!” His mum cried, when he winced she winced. But still wrapped her arms around him. “I’m so happy to see you.” 

“Me too mum.” Remus meant it, he was happy to see his mum. He loved her, but he felt the growing dread in his stomach about seeing his father again. 

“Come, I cooked some dinner for your father, you know how he gets when I don’t cook dinner, and you must be starving. When was the last time you ate? Have you been eating? You look so skinny?” His mum rambled on, the noise caused his head to feel like it was getting smashed against a wall but it was worth it. He was glad to see his mother again. 

The drive home was a long one, and it was dark when they pulled up to the front of the house. The lights in the house were off.  Remus knew that it meant his father was either sleeping, at work or out at a pub in the village. The gravel crunched under their feet as two off the walked up the path to the front door. The moment that Remus got his trunk into the house and walked further to the kitchen he smelt the alcohol. 

“Hope!” 

* * *

 

James loved the smell of his mother perfume, it wasn’t strong or floral, it smelt clean. Like a set of freshly washed sheets. You couldn’t smell it until you were hugging her, it was that light. But it made him feel like he was embraced in safety. 

“James.” His mum mumbled into his hair. 

“Hi, Mum.” He looked up to see his dad standing right behind his mum. “Hi, Dad.” 

“Are you excited to go to Spain?” James’ father asked. The portkey they were using was stopping in France than in Turkey and finally in India. 

“Yeah.” James was excited. They had been to Spain before, But never in Turkey or in some of the areas they were going to visit in India.

“Come on love.” His mum picked up his trunk and James took his father’s hand as she continued talking. “We are leaving at midnight.  So you have to go help the house elves pack we told them some of the basics but you need to pick out the rest.” James had a spark of curiosity. Was this portkey the same one that Peter was on? They both were leaving at midnight and going to Spain. But his train of thought was cut off when his father squeezed his hand and the jerk of apparition.

They ended up in the living room. Right in front of the same fireplace, Sirius had come through almost six months ago. James felt a chill go through his spine. He didn’t think that he would ever be able to stand here again without remembering that horrible moment. 

“Hurry James.” His father said as he lightly pushed James towards the stairs. “There’s less than seven hours before we are leaving to Spain.” James tried to forget the bad memories and thought back to the last time he was in Spain. He had been six and couldn’t really remember a lot. Now he was even more excited, he was going to make new memories. Even if they didn’t include his best friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any typos please inform me, all I want to do is improve my writing. 
> 
> As you can tell this is the last chapter in this story. I'm planing on writing the next year sometime between now and the end of the year, then editing that soon after. I want to say thank you to those to read my writing, because it encouraged me to continue posting the chapter even though I had already written them. So thank you.

**Author's Note:**

> If you see any typos please tell me, all I want is to improve my writing.  
> Also I promise that the story will improve, this is just the introduction. 
> 
> I'm only going to say this once, but as a disclaimer I don't own Harry Potter or the Marauders.


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